Last Wednesday. Jennifer Elliott ’94, Dean of Students and Residential Life, spoke at the All-School Meeting and argued in favor of practicing gratitude. Elliott’s speech had an important underlying message: taking the time to be more mindful and grateful can help, not fix, our Andover experience. She backed up her claim with statistics and highlighted how gratitude has scientific benefits. Even though we agree with Elliott’s general address to the student body, her message is diluted by controversial claims.
Elliott tried to emphasize the importance of changing our perspective on winter, in order to improve and better enjoy our Andover experience, but her efforts fell short to many. Elliott said, “I don’t have to write a history paper, I get to write a history paper!” as an example of how students can change their perspective. Consequently, parts of her speech were treated as a joke. Had she spoken more seriously, her message may have been understood more. Unlike the two of us, others might not have taken away the importance of appreciating our opportunities and taking joy in the little things in campus life, in order to be happier live day to day to the fullest.
It is also important, however, to recognize that gratitude alone will not resuscitate the Andover community. Because mental illness is present on our campus, it is crucial to distinguish the fact that gratitude may play help as a coping tool, but mental illness is not a simple problem that can go away with being thankful.
The 2018 State of the Academy reported that 50.57 percent of students responded “Yes, sometimes” when asked if they felt alone on campus. Because so many people on campus struggle with mental health, we cannot accept gratitude as the end all be all to our problems. There is so much more to achieving happiness than just gratitude. Just like how people cannot choose to have a mental illness, people can’t just choose to no longer have them. Although gratitude is a choice, happiness sometimes is not.
If we want our issues to be addressed we must hold ourselves and the administration to a higher standard. Students, if the administration tries to help and fails, be constructive rather than tear them down. And to the administration, we ask that you listen to what our problems are and understand that if they are to be addressable, collaboration is necessary, in addition to student input.
A majority of miscommunication between students and faculty is largely due to the disconnect between the groups. The mindset of “the administration vs. the student body” is far too common and simply unfounded. In order for the administration to help us to their fullest ability, students must learn to trust that they genuinely care about us. This requires a mutual respect on both sides. If the administration allowed for more transparency in their actions, it would be easier for the students to place faith in the administration. If both students and faculty attempt to make an effort and listen to each other’s perspectives, then change will be possible because ultimately we all want the same thing: a great Andover experience.
Mary Muromcew is a Junior from Jackson, Wyo. Jane Park is a Junior from Roslyn, N.Y. Contact the authors at mmuromcew22@andover.edu and jpark22@andover.edu
