AMMAN — Throughout your early life, people might have told you to study and work hard so that you can be set up for your future. Focusing on grades and getting a good education are stepping stones to success.
اضافة اعلان
An important step in this process includes attending some form of higher education, particularly university. This mode of thinking has been deeply ingrained into Jordanians, with parents wanting their children to become doctors, lawyers, or engineers, all of which require a university degree.
As of 2017, the Department of Statistics found that on average a quarter of a million students enroll in university per semester, and this number is only increasing over time. With external and internal pressure, it is only natural that university students might have higher levels of stress than those of the same age not in university. Educational wellness is a relatively new concept and is not quite yet fully understood, but nevertheless, there is overwhelming evidence that young adults need help processing these stresses.
Wellness at Jordanian universities
A number of studies have been conducted on university students concerning their well-being in different areas. One study focused on health concerns and risk behaviors among university students in 2007.
When it came to psychosocial concerns, it found that 21.6 percent of students always felt lonely, 20 percent were confused or concerned for their future, and 13 percent occasionally or always thought about suicide. Despite this, a follow up study reported that university students perceived their psychological well-being as moderate, which was shared similarly between males and females.
Some early studies have estimated that mental disorders affect 23 percent of young adults but the aforementioned study found that number to only be 3 percent in university students. Regardless of the true numbers, the most common reported issues were undeniably a feeling of loneliness, concern for the future, trouble at home, depressive symptoms, and lack of a friend they could confide in.
Unfortunately, data regarding wellness within universities is rather scarce and outdated. Surveillance and investigations should be conducted within universities to identify the extent and causes of major stressors in order to develop potential solutions. Furthermore, it should be the responsibility of the university to ensure the wellness of their students, as well as the government’s responsibility to provide for its youth, especially in public universities.
How to improve wellness at universities
The study that was previously mentioned noted key issues in need of solutions. Their investigation focused more so on health’s impact on well-being, to which it was found that psychological well-being negatively correlated with physical symptoms.
As a result, it was suggested that physical health complaints should also be addressed from a psychosocial perspective. Interestingly enough, the follow-up study also found that those enrolled in health-related fields, (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, etc.), had higher perceptions of psychological well-being than students enrolled in the faculties of science or humanitarian studies.
The investigators attributed this to a higher perception of purpose in life and were able to attach meaning more effectively to their past and present life.
Furthermore, in regards to concerns relating to the future of students, Jordanian universities should ensure counseling and life coaching for students is provided. This is particularly important at larger universities, such as the University of Jordan, who discontinued this service nearly a decade ago.
How to improve wellness as an individual
Luckily, there are many things a student can do on an individual level to improve their own wellness, regardless of the conditions at their university. The first, and probably most underappreciated step, is getting enough sleep.
Although you might get bragging rights saying you pulled an all-nighter, in the long run this could have a severe impact on your overall health and well-being. Avoid napping and taking caffeine in the evenings and use your bed for sleeping only, going to bed and waking up around the same time every day.
Physical activity and diet are also important for improving wellness, alertness, and increasing your ability to focus. It is also important to understand the risk involved with substance abuse. For many Jordanians this may take the form of tobacco products, for which 23.1 percent of Jordanian university students either always or occasionally use. The impact of smoking on health and wellness has been well documented and it is important to be aware of this.
Furthermore, 9.7 percent of students in Jordan were found to either always or occasionally consume alcohol, although due to the social stigma relating to alcohol this number may be higher. Additionally, there is little information regarding recreational drug use, as Jordan has a strict drug policy, but abusing drugs such as hashish, lyrica, and captagon may have a detrimental effect on health and well-being, especially among young adults.
Read more Lifestyle
.jpg)
.jpg)
