The Student Experience at a large University

The Student Experience at a large University

By Dr Vivienne Decleva

A student’s experience of loneliness

The Student Experience at a large University
It can be very lonely being a student at University. Most of my friends from High School have enrolled in another course or have gone somewhere else. The few that by chance happen to be enrolled in the same course may not attend the same lectures.

The lecturer, standing behind the lectern is so far away and preoccupied with the teaching material and not aware of how much influence the teaching has on me. I sit listening to every word and wonder and dream of the time when I can live this learning. But no-one notices me.

As a new student I wonder why I feel so alone and insignificant. Lost in a sense that no one knows me, and no one cares to know me. I am one of the many faces in a lecture room and one of the many numbers in an examination. My personality, my family, my friends, the things that I do outside of university are not seen.

I am present, but the real me is invisible.

However, when the lecturer passes me and nods in acknowledgment that my face has been recognised, even if not my name, in a strange way, I have a sense that I do belong and this gives me the determination to continue and to grow into the person that I am.

Lecturer suggestions – what can be done?

  • smile whenever passing one of your students
  • engage with the students and find out what you can about them
  • remember student names (whenever possible)
  • personalise your feedback and make it specific
  • talk to students and get to know them as individual people
  • make eye contact with each student during a lecture
  • recognise who you are and be yourself to your students
  • enjoy what you are doing