<p>Race to Nowhere and Waiting for Superman…polar opposites of education issues in the US. Perhaps we should have the families change places for a couple of years and then ask the parties where they stand on the education issues…there are no diamonds without stress</p>
<p>This is not a surprise. First of all the economy stinks, so there is going to be more stress for anybody shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for an education when campuses are replete with anecdotes of unemployed graduates. Also, more people are aware of, and seeking treatment for, depression, so there could be more awareness and reporting. Finally, there are threads all over CC re the challenges for women in the college environment. There are more women than men. More and more students a choosing the “hook up” culture, rather than forming meaningful relationships. This is a recipe for unhappiness and stress.</p>
<p>Diamonds, or maybe sub-performance, eating disorders, binge drinking, psychiatric intervention, suicide attempts, and dropping out.</p>
<p>At least diamonds get to SHINE and be complete at some point. With this mindset, high anxiety and low sense of wellbeing at what should be a wonderful time in one’s life…when does it end? Apparently it doesn’t…nope, there is undergrad, then grad or professional school, then work. What kind of life is that? </p>
<p>Occasional stress and low emotionally wellbeing, sure. Such is life. There are tough periods of hard work. But ongoing degree of low emotionally wellbeing during what should be the ‘easier’ period is not healthy or functional for anyone. It is not even necessary. We have kids jumping through ALL KINDS OF UNNECESSARY hoops. And not because of a recession but because of a nonsensical, insane obsession with college branding. They aren’t getting better or rising to some new level, they are just playing a game that really has relatively poor return.</p>