College Students Don’t Need Fixing

Written By Mashrika Khan

Introduction

The common narrative surrounding student mental health often assumes that stress and adversity indicate something is wrong with students and that they need to be "fixed." However, this perspective fails to recognize the normalcy of stressors in college life and the crucial role institutions play in fostering resilience rather than pathologizing challenges. The Okanagan Charter and network of Health Promoting Campuses champion an ecosystemic view of mental health, emphasizing the institution’s responsibility in shaping an environment that nurtures students' well-being and success.

At the same time, growing awareness around mental health has led to reduced stigma and greater use of counseling services, which is a meaningful step forward. The growing visibility of mental health concerns has sparked this positive shift and, naturally, colleges respond to this demand through counseling. However, relying solely on clinical interventions positions mental health as an individual problem to be treated, rather than a system issue to be prevented. To move forward, institutions must take proactive steps to create environments that support resilience.

Moving from Pathology to Resilience

Stress is an inherent part of the college experience, as students navigate academic pressures, social challenges, and newfound independence. Rather than labeling every struggle as a mental health problem, universities can create conditions that support students in developing resilience. This shift aligns with the salutogenic model introduced by Aaron Antonovsky in 1979, which explores the relationship between health, stress, and coping. Antonovsky emphasized that well-being is not simply the absence of illness but the presence of factors that promote healthy adaptation to challenges (Antonovsky, 1996). Health-promoting campuses adopt this approach by identifying social and environmental conditions that enable students to manage stress effectively. This means fostering supportive communities, providing opportunities for meaningful engagement, and designing systems that enhance students’ sense of coherence which includes the ability to comprehend, manage, and find purpose in their experiences (Dooris, Doherty, & Orme, 2017).

One of the biggest challenges in shifting the mental health narrative in higher education is recognizing that stress is not inherently negative. When students are provided with the right tools and environment, they can grow from their experiences rather than being overwhelmed by them. Instead of a deficit-based model that assumes stress is harmful, universities can take ownership in conditioning mentally healthy environments and reinforce the idea that students can develop coping strategies that serve them well beyond their academic careers.

Universities as Ecosystems for Thriving

The University at Albany offers a compelling analogy: students are like frogs in a pond. If the pond is polluted, no amount of treatment for individual frogs will resolve the underlying issue. Instead, institutions must focus on creating a healthy pond – a thriving ecosystem where students can flourish. This requires a commitment from the entire campus community, including faculty, staff, administrators, and students themselves.

A key aspect of fostering a health-promoting campus is institutional ownership of mental health. Student well-being is not just the responsibility of counseling centers but is deeply influenced by academic policies, campus culture, and community support. Universities must integrate mental health considerations into all aspects of campus life, ensuring that support systems are embedded rather than treated as separate resources. For example, offering flexible deadlines during high-stress periods and wellness check-ins in advising sessions can serve as resilience-building opportunities that are woven into the student experience. Stress management programs, peer support networks, and wellness initiatives should be designed to help students cultivate adaptive coping mechanisms that will serve them well throughout their academic journey and beyond (Walden & Cowen, 2024). Faculty can be trained on trauma-informed teaching inclusive pedagogy to help students feel safer and more valued in the classroom. These kinds of systemic supports can create a space where students don’t feel as if they are “surviving” college, they grow throughout it. 

Normalizing stress as a growth opportunity is another critical step. Instead of treating stressful problems as a sign of failure or inadequacy, universities should help students recognize it as a natural part of personal and professional development. By shifting conversations around student well-being from a deficit model to one that acknowledges challenges as catalysts for learning, institutions can better equip students to handle adversity with confidence and skill.

Moreover, expanding access to supportive resources is essential in creating a health-promoting environment. Universities must ensure that students have access to comprehensive mental health services, mentorship programs, and safe spaces where they can seek guidance and support without fear of being judged (Kitzrow, 2003). Support systems should be designed to be proactive rather than reactive, helping students before they reach a crisis point.

A Call to Action

By adopting an ecosystemic view, universities can shift the paradigm from "fixing" students to creating environments that empower them. Health-promoting campuses play a critical role in shaping not only academic success but also lifelong well-being.

The challenge is not to eliminate stress but to cultivate spaces where students can build resilience, thrive, and flourish. When universities take ownership of their role in shaping student well-being, they create a culture of support, understanding, and empowerment. Through intentional policies and a commitment to student success, institutions can redefine what it means to support mental health not by erasing stress, but by providing the conditions for students to rise to the challenge.


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Mashrika Khan
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