Opinion | Colleges don’t have to be anxiety machines

July 6, 2026 - 20:57

Next month, a new class of students will arrive on college campuses across Minnesota full of hope and ambition. They will also arrive as part of one of the most anxious generations in modern history, according to Gustavus Adolphus College president John Volin. The pressure to succeed, the constant hum of social media, and the lingering effects of a disrupted high school experience have left many young people on edge before they even step foot in a lecture hall.

Volin argues that this reality does not have to define the college experience. While universities have been blamed for fueling stress through competitive admissions and relentless academic demands, he believes they can also be the solution. The key is shifting the focus from pure achievement to genuine belonging. When students feel connected to a community, their anxiety often fades.

This means rethinking how colleges approach everything from orientation to classroom discussions. It means training faculty to recognize signs of distress and creating spaces where students can fail safely without feeling like their entire future is ruined. Volin points out that a campus does not have to be an anxiety machine. With intentional effort, it can be a place where young people learn to manage pressure, build resilience, and rediscover the joy of learning for its own sake. The goal is not to eliminate stress entirely, but to ensure it does not consume the very students who arrive so full of hope.