Dear GTCC Community,
There are truths about student life that often go unspoken. We may not be able to find the words on our own, but they exist in the spaces between classes, in the quiet corners of the tutoring center, and during late-night study sessions. These truths eventually infiltrate our daily life as students, yet we rarely give them voice. We stay silent out of shame because we don't understand why we can't do it alone. We stay silent out of fear, worried about appearing weak or inadequate because we know we are more than this. So, I write to give voice to these truths in the hope that understanding them might bridge the gap between us. Please understand that this is not inherently a complaint; it is a plea.
INVISIBLE BARRIERS
I’d like to speak of belonging first. At a glance, our campus is extraordinarily diverse with backgrounds and experiences. Yet, for many of us, there exists something more unseen —social inner circles and unspoken rules, all enforced by snap judgements. Some students find their niche quickly while navigating this, and others wander for semesters, searching for places to just fit in (even if it’s just for a little while).
I've felt how rejection stings; I’ve carried the weight of being an outsider in a sea of seemingly connected peers. It's such a lonely orbit at such a distance. I know I am not alone in this. We watch groups form and bond while feeling perpetually out of step, out of place, and out of mind. It's exhausting. We fear what we don't know, so we keep quiet. The truth is, many of us struggle with this silent isolation; we’re struck on repeat, unknowingly asking, “If we don’t know it, how will we do it?”
MISCONCEPTION OF LAZINESS
To our professors and administrators, I wish to address a persistent misconception. When you see empty seats in class, a series of missed deadlines, or a lackluster performance, please know that "laziness" is rarely the reason. More often than not, it is a student grappling with challenges you may never see. Our greatest fears will always be the assignments we don’t turn in, so being condemned to “lazy,” regardless of intention, can run deep.
Behind each of these students is a story still being written, consisting of mental health struggles, family responsibilities, financial pressures, or of a simple inability to articulate their needs. We are not unmotivated; we are often overwhelmed and overstimulated, trying to navigate some sort of system that sometimes feels too indifferent to our individual circumstances. We know we have to improve ourselves, but improvement requires understanding, support, and sometimes, a helping hand.
A PROFESSOR'S PERSPECTIVE
It’s important to recognize the challenges faced by our instructors. They also navigate this system with us, balancing administrative demands with their passion for teaching. Many professors see the potential in each student, even when it's obscured by missed classes or incomplete assignments, but they struggle with how to help without overstepping or pushing students away. It takes courage to care about others, and, as people, professors have limited storage just like the rest of us.
To our professors, your dedication is like no other. Your frustration when we fall short and your joy when we succeed are both seen. Your understanding and patience do not go unnoticed, and neither do your struggles. That’s why when you take a moment to ask why we're struggling instead of simply marking us absent, it makes a world of difference. Be a part of us so that we can be a part of you.
IMPACT OF INSTITUTIONAL DECISIONS
The shift in courses from 16 weeks to eight weeks is more than a difference in scheduling; it's a fundamental alteration of our learning experience. I’m referring to a change taking place beginning with Fall 2025, when students in some classes may find face-to-face instruction supplemented more heavily by online instruction as the pace of those classes increases. * While this change may seem logical from an administrative perspective, for many of us, it represents a compression of time that makes existing challenges even more, well, challenging. We, the students, do not want this change. It happened without any invitation for collaboration with us, as if our education doesn't belong to us. The pressure this inflicts on instructors and other academic faculty members was overlooked as well. And what happens with students who have accommodations? Where will they fit in?
Learning is not just about absorbing information like a sponge; it's about processing the material, reflecting on it to expand, and translating it all into our own understanding of the world. Learning will always take time — time that already feels scarce and increasingly precious.
THE UNWRITTEN RULE I'D CHANGE
If I could change one unwritten rule of campus life, I would wish that we stop seeing struggle as a sign of weakness. I would wish for people to be kinder. I want to see each of us cultivating a culture in which asking for help is seen as a strength, and where vulnerability is met with support rather than judgement. From administration-professor relations and professor-student relations, this rule is something that should be applied all around.
Imagine a campus where professors, administrators, and students alike recognize that each person's journey is unique, where "I'm struggling" is met with "How can we work through this together?" rather than disapproval or dismissal. Imagine what this could be; imagine what this could produce.
A CALL FOR CONNECTION
To my peers, please understand that you are not alone in your struggles. The person sitting next to you in class, or the one you pass in the hallway, may be fighting battles you can't see. Maybe this doesn’t offer you comfort, and I get it. But sometimes, a simple act of kindness, a small word of encouragement, can be the lifeline someone needs. Maybe no one did it for you, and I’m truly sorry about that, but show kindness to someone else anyway. Build community with each other. Wave to others more often when you walk to classes, even if they don’t do it first.
To our administrators and professors, I ask for empathy, and I ask to be heard. We need to find this empathy for each other, but above all, be mindful of your students. Your words have weight in the mind, and that's a power that can either crush hope or nurture it. We need your guidance, your understanding, and your belief in our potential even when we struggle to see it ourselves. We need you.
A CONCLUSION: A SHARED JOURNEY
GTCC is so much more than a collection of buildings and courses; it's a community, an ecosystem of growth and learning that we need to take better care of it, because like any ecosystem, its health depends on the well-being of all its members and the support they require. If we acknowledge these unspoken truths, we can begin to understand each other. By genuinely understanding each other, we pave a way to impact the world around us. It starts somewhere, and it starts small.
Please let this letter be the start of a conversation and a step towards bridging the gaps that separate us. In the end, we are a part of each other's stories, each of us carrying our very own piece of the puzzle that is our future. Let's allow administrators, professors, and students to come together and create a campus culture that acknowledges our shared challenges and works collaboratively to address them.
Sincerely,
A Student,
A Tutor,
An Observer
*This sentence originally read: I’m referring to a change taking place beginning Fall 2025, when more of our class time will be taken from us. It was updated to address concerns from GTCC administration.
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