University years were once considered as the foundational and developmental phases for any student. They helped in fostering debates about international orders, penned research on niggling bacteria, discovered new ideas, and most importantly, students found themselves engaged in the process. The university campus emerged as a common place for young minds where they could form small groups and discuss their passions in the absence of any restrictions.

It is unfortunate that the winds have taken a sharp turn and these institutions are no longer the breeding grounds for intellectual growth in our country. Education has become a business and means of income for many profiteers, rather than a hub to envisage the future of the country. Students have become tools for these business operators to play with. They continue to direct their vigor into unproductive things and harbor no outcome.

The best aspect of university education was healthy competition and debate. Universities allowed extreme opposing ideas to prove their utility and in the process of interacting with a whole range of new ideas, people carved into their views into the beautiful product of compromise and pragmatism. Carrying a blazing thinking to greater success is dying. Looking up to seniors and even brighter batch mates helps to galvanize the entire student body into persevering for success. Negative emotions like jealousy or leg pulling are not to be confused with the proper competition. The essence of education and in most cases, of sports is to teach you to clap when the others are winning. Having faith that our time will come and ignoring external noise will make us stronger.

There is nothing bad with those keeping their academics, and business ideas to themselves, but hijacking someone else’s is an intellectual crime. Acting in a certain vague way to the questions that require serious solutions, that may help juniors grow intellectually is an intellectual loss. It is a sign of mental immaturity and cognitive failure. Societies have always evolved from working together and collaborating. Being selfish with success helps neither society nor the individual itself. The individualistic approach is pervasive and this stealthily erodes the fine fabric of respect and recognition. It gets really hard for some, even people you consider close, to digest the hard-fought success.

Another bleak aspect of the changing landscape is the excessive use of drugs. More and more students are taking shelter in the abusive consumption of cigarettes, vapes, and alcohol. Some people who have never even touched any drug before, somehow find themselves in the company of drug abusers. Either they are trying hard to fit in, requiring a complete overhaul of persona, or maybe craving to be known as a cool lad. It is not only detrimental to their health but also halts their personal growth. Second guessing and putting oneself in the frame of another person overshadows their true personality, which is self-damaging.

University Students these days prefer not to engage in healthier activities like playing sports or attending seminars but rather roam around passing hunches most of the time. It has become a norm to talk and boast about things that never belong to them. Bragging about their father’s recent posting or some far-away relatives’ trip to Madrid consumes up most of the discussion. The concept of academic discussion about business ideas and future plans has become scarce. Rarely, there is a friend group discussing the future of this country. Nobody is ready to stand up to have the courage to take responsibility. Unfortunately, for Pakistan as a whole, a hot topic these days is discussing and considering the options of leaving the country, whatever way the opportunity presents itself. Pakistan, already brain-drained, will find itself in an abysmal situation if it does not direct its energies and resources properly.

These days there are huge dents in the student-teacher relationship. It has become a norm to miss out on classes offered by a teacher that you don’t like. Teachers are also becoming apathetic to this erosion of once revered relationships, most of the time directing to their teaching assistants who rarely extend their hands for academic support. Just giving a lecture inside a closed room is not the only duty of teachers. They have more on their hands to do. Callous and indifferent, students never try to bridge the trust deficit.

It’s a shame writing down about the events of Islamia University, Bahawalpur. Customary hue and cry for some time and then putting aside the real issue is the ritual of us, Pakistanis. If there is some involvement of an influential personality, the issue unknowingly disappears. In the name of education, blackmailing and hypocrisy is performed.

The problem with most of the students is their misunderstanding of the term campus life. It does not just suggest raving or partying, but the real meaning it conveys is how conducive and supportive the university environment is. It is disappointing to say that sports culture is also decaying slowly. Physical activity not only keeps the blood circulating but also helps in instilling teamwork and sportsmanship.

However, students these days have more liberty in picking the teachers or the majors they aspire to pursue in the future, thus making them more responsible for the choices they make. Any decision they make will come back to either bring them success or forever haunt them. Career counseling is readily available, and so are the grounds to play in. The pressure of hectic academic courses is not aimed at melting their spirits down but to be more qualified and expert in their respective fields. Physical and mental health facilities are there for grabs but that should be used in moderation. Mental health clinics on campuses are there to help. There should be no shame in hiding problems. After all, we are all humans. They are to be discussed with friends and not shy away by burdening oneself with extra burdens. The culture of playing sports should prevail as it is wisely said sound body carries a sound mind.

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own and don’t necessarily represent Daily Times editorial policy.