What I feel the need to focus on is the concept of
trigger warnings. When this conversation made its first few waves, I was the standard millennial thinker in that I thought trigger warnings were a great concept that could keep students from being upset or having serious emotional reactions throughout their educational careers. As a recent graduate and new student affairs professional, I've come to realize that maybe trigger warnings are not the best approach for these situations.
trigger warnings. When this conversation made its first few waves, I was the standard millennial thinker in that I thought trigger warnings were a great concept that could keep students from being upset or having serious emotional reactions throughout their educational careers. As a recent graduate and new student affairs professional, I've come to realize that maybe trigger warnings are not the best approach for these situations.
Life does not come with a trigger warning. There is no way I can walk down the street feeling guaranteed that no one will ever say or do something that could remind me of a terrible experience I have had in the past. We cannot control the actions of everyone around us, but by making something like trigger warnings an expectation in a college environment, we are teaching today's students that they are able to remain in their bubbles of naivety forever.
There are dozens of corny cliches about conquering your fears, facing challenges, growing from past experiences, and picking yourself up after you fall down. These sayings are cliches for a reason. Although we may view them as overused, they are such because they are true and applicable. As human beings, we learn best when faced with a problem we can overcome, not by sweeping our problems under the rug and avoiding them at all costs. There are better, healthier, more productive ways to overcome negative life experiences that don't involve compromising our education.
Let yourself be challenged, especially in college. Don't let your education suffer because of what you've experienced; rather, allow your experiences to enhance your education and the education of your peers, so the world can be filled with critical thinkers who tackle problems head-on.