OPINION: Asking for help is okay

The+Student+Wellness+Center+is+located+at+the+Steve+Clark+YMCA.

Sean Marty / The Sunflower

The Student Wellness Center is located at the Steve Clark YMCA.

Have you ever heard the common phrase “oh, just wait until you get to college. Professors do not care about your excuses.” Well, I sure have. That phrase is what made me terrified of college professors. Many of my teachers that I had in middle school and high school made me fear to ask for help. I thought professors were stone cold and did not care about their students, only the material.

There is this pressure that secondary education creates that once you graduate, you need to pay attention and stick to deadlines. They make the idea of missing a deadline seem as if you fail in life. However, nobody is perfect. People make mistakes.

I am a current sophomore in college and this is my first time actually asking for help from college professors. I thought that professors would not care about any issue that occurred in a student’s personal life; however, that is far from true.

Professors care tremendously about their students’ mental health and are often willing to compensate to help give their student’s the best quality of learning as possible. Whether that means moving their students to online courses, giving them tips in office hours, or simply extending deadlines.

If you’re a student at Wichita State who is scared to reach out and ask for help, set up an appointment with the CARE Team. The CARE Team is a group on campus whose goal is to help provide for students. If you are not making connections easily, struggling in classes, or just need someone to talk to, they can do that for you. They will reach out to your professors and explain your current situation. They, however, are only the first step. From there, you need to learn that it is okay to ask for help.

My experience with the CARE Team was nothing but positive. Even after your case is closed and you are finally getting the help you need, they will always be there to help you. Just run by their office, located in Shocker Hall, and they will be willing to have a conversation with you.