Back to the Bubble: Thoughts on Returning to Gettysburg’s Academic Environment
(Photo provided)
By Natalie Orga, Guest Writer
Coming home from England has been a lot like slipping into an old favourite sweater, only to realize that it’s a bit itchy, and perhaps a little too tight.
I missed Gettysburg while I was away — the support of old friends, the comfort of Servo, even the aggression of the squirrels. I gained a new appreciation for the devotion and enthusiasm of my professors, the opportunities I received through my job at the library, and the kindness of my mentors and employers. But the imperfections of Gettysburg College as an institution seem to have crystallized in my absence. I feel as though I am just noticing the culture of anxiety and academic competition among the students and I don’t know how I missed it before.
At Gettysburg College, academic anxiety is part of the landscape as much as the scattered adirondack chairs and manicured grass. The sheer quantity of work to be done is a constant parasite, eating away at us. Students languish in the library and mingle by exchanging their to-do lists for the day, comparing their heavy workloads and minimal hours of sleep with no small degree of competition.
In England, I was anxious about my academics, but for a very different reason: we were hardly asked to do anything. With an almost complete lack of homework and non-mandatory attendance, I found myself in an alien academic landscape. I was one of the only students to attend and participate in my classes, and my instinctive urge to go to the library and study was inexplicable to my British friends. They were bewildered by my stress and confusion, but I couldn’t help it — it all felt too easy, too laid-back. There must be a catch, I thought. I found myself doing crazy things like socializing, writing creatively for the joy of it, exploring my surroundings and traveling on the weekends.
Despite this newfound freedom, I missed Gettysburg dearly — the wonderful professors, my fantastic friends, the quality of the classes. I loved England, but I couldn’t wait to return.
Back at Gettysburg, the familiar weight of my workload slammed me full-force: five classes and two jobs, plus plenty of extracurriculars and internship applications. And my schedule isn’t uncommonly heavy compared to those of my peers. I slipped back into my state of constant stress with almost frightening ease, and it felt normal. But after going abroad, I’ve realized that it’s not.
Students are completely immersed in what we call the “Gettysburg bubble” — a sense of academic myopia, a complete focus on our Gettysburg College lives and an inability to disentangle ourselves from our work, look around at the outside world, and breathe. I’d heard of this “bubble” before going abroad, but now that I’ve returned, I see it everywhere, glistening and omnipresent.
I’m certainly not saying Gettysburg College should convert itself to Lancaster University. Class attendance should be mandatory, and homework is important for getting through curriculums in a given amount of time. An emphasis on academic achievement isn’t a bad thing by any means. But watching my friends — and myself — prioritize our academics over our physical and mental well-being each and every day is more painful to me now than ever before.
It doesn’t have to be like this — I know that now. There are ways to encourage students to strive academically without placing achievement above wellbeing. There are ways for professors and administrations to incorporate empathy and adjust their expectations of their students. A little more human understanding within the academic culture of Gettysburg could really go a long way. Who knows? It might even be able to burst that “Gettysburg bubble.”
This article originally appeared on page 9 of the February 27, 2020 edition of The Gettysburgian’s magazine.
