College students might have a thing or two to learn from an elementary school student who devised a simple, but brilliant, plan to tackle issues like loneliness and bullying that he saw in his schoolyard during recess.
Earlier this year, second-grader Christian Bucks, of York, Pa., came up with the idea of a “buddy bench.” With the help of his principal, his idea became reality.
It’s nothing more than a brightly colored wooden bench, but the logic behind it and the utter compassion displayed by its young inventor revamps my hopes for the goodwill of mankind.
The bench is there for students to sit at to indicate to other peers that they would like to play or talk. It offers students an opportunity to interact with each other by designating a meeting place of sorts for those who feel left out or wish to make a new acquaintance.
I’m not sure how painting a bench in the Quad with florescent primary colors would go over, but if it brings attention to the issues that transitioning and settled college students face, give me a paintbrush.
In a society that just doesn’t interact with one another in person because our faces are hidden behind the screen of a phone, it’s easy to see how someone could feel isolated and alone in a crowded place like the Student Union.
Susan Krauss Whitbourne identifies some reasons people need friends in her Psychology Today blog, “Fullfillment At Any Age.” Whitbourne calls the role friends play in our lives “friendfluence.”
She notes that friends teach vital life skills. From childhood to teen years, friendships help people learn to interact and love. Friends can help people prioritize and one friend leads to more friends. Most importantly, you’re less lonely when you have friends.
Loneliness at any age can cause depression. Most of us have felt lonely at some point. It’s not a pleasant emotion and can lead to depression regardless of a student’s age, but it has some awful effects on college students.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Depression can affect your academic performance in college. Studies suggest that college students who have depression are more likely to smoke.”
The research suggests that students with depression do not necessarily drink alcohol more heavily than other college students.
However, the NIMH found students with depression, especially women, are more likely to drink to get drunk and experience problems related to alcohol abuse, such as engaging in unsafe sex.
And with final exams and papers tormenting students at the end of a semester, the mental strain might be too much for someone who is already battling depression.
The angst and frustration we feel under this pressure may cause us to lash out at that one group member who just can’t show up on time.
Be considerate and understanding. Sit next to a complete stranger and talk about the weather. It might do you both some real good.
As for bullying, it doesn’t stop when the school you attend no longer has a jungle gym. Bullying in college and even in the adult work place continues to be a problem. In the workplace, bullying takes on the form of harassment.
Hazing and cyber bullying cause the same harmful physical or psychological damage in post-secondary institutions, just like it does in third grade.
A study conducted by professors at Indiana State University found that 42 percent of participants reported seeing someone being bullied by another college student while about 8 percent reported bullying another student.
Being bullied can cause depression and even violent reactions in some cases. I don’t see bullies disappearing anytime soon, but I believe there are ways to counter their behavior by being more inclusive with one another as humans.
We all enjoy nice conversations, pleasant walks with someone and the feeling of knowing you’re cared for.
It isn’t really necessary to decorate the sitting accommodations all over LSU’s campus or to appoint a single bench as one for camaraderie and simple interaction. All of our benches can be buddy benches, as well as any free chair at a table in Middleton.
The benches were built to suit more than one person to sit on them. Had Forest Gump never spoke to those strangers while sitting at the bus stop, he may have never found out that he didn’t need a bus to get to Jenny’s house after all.
Justin Stafford is a 21-year-old mass communication major from Walker, La.