By Samukelisiwe Gumede
Some students are giving up on their studies citing the enormous amount of work that comes with tests, assignments and the expectation to excel.
Durban University of Technology (DUT) dropout Ayanda Xulu says he thought he was geared up for university life, only to realise it was more challenging than he had expected.
”I enrolled for architecture at DUT. I did not expect university life to be difficult. All the modules I did had tests, assignments and exams. I thought I was going to be a high achiever as I was in high school, but that was not the case,” he said.
Xulu added that he was mentally exhausted all the time and that he had to choose between his studies and his mental well-being.
“When I finished high school, I thought university life was going to be manageable, but when I entered varsity, I always felt overwhelmed by the workload and expectations. I was constantly anxious and depressed. It got to a point where I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to class. I knew I needed to prioritise myself, so I made the difficult decision to leave university.” Xulu said.
Another former student of DUT, Mbongeni Khanyile, shared his experience.
“I was so excited when I got accepted to study interior design at City Campus, but I was not prepared for the workload. I failed three modules in my first semester. It was so embarrassing having to go back home after one semester in university, so after that I just didn’t go back,” he said.
Dr Genevieve Lanka, a former DUT lecturer, highlighted that at times students feel overwhelmed and unable to handle the demanding curriculum in universities and the intense competition that exists within the academic environment.
“The curriculum can be very demanding, and students often feel that they need to achieve perfect marks. This pressure can be overwhelming and contribute to mental health struggles, which results in them being burnt out and some just dropping out because of the pressure,” she said.
Dr Emily Carter, a psychological counsellor at DUT, said it was critical to attend to the mental health needs of the students.
She said: “We’ve seen a significant rise in students seeking help for anxiety, depression and stress-related issues. While we do offer counselling services, I think it is important to be able to assist students when they need it. Universities need to invest in timely mental health support to help students.”
However, there are tried-and-tested ways to cope with stress. They include getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating balanced meals, having a support network, finding ways to manage stress and using institutional support systems.
