Level 100 students of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have been advised to be self-reflective and make the right choices in their academic work and relationships on campus.
The advice was given during relationship counselling event organised by the Counselling Centre on the theme: " Balancing Academic Excellence and Romantic Harmony: Nurturing both sides".
Addressing the students on the topic: “Combining Relationship Issues with Academic work”, the Head of the Department of Guidance and Counselling, Dr. Stephen Doh Fia, said it was not a wrong decision if a student decided to enter into relationship on campus.
Dr. Doh Fia
However, he was quick to add that students should soberly assess themselves well whether they could combine academics with relationship while on campus.
“If you can spend as much as 90% of the time on your academic and about 10% on your relationship issue, is beautiful. If you can spend 80% of your time on academic work and just about 20% on relationship issues, I will say it is good,” he added, telling them not to rush into relationship.
To manage their academics with relationship, Dr. Doh Fia, implored students “to plan their life, set realistic achievable goals for themselves, set their priorities right and redefine the relationship”.
He used the occasion to warn female students who enter into relationship on campus against turning themselves as “wives” and undertake household chores for their male partners.
That, according to the Head of Department, would defeat the purpose of the relationship and mar their academic performance.
Dr. Doh Fia urged students not to shy away from seeking professional counselling when experiencing psychological and relationship problems.
The Director of Counselling Centre, Dr. (Mrs.) Rita Holm Adzovie, in her remarks, said the Centre exist to provide high quality services to solving the problems of students and staff of the University to promote the academic, career, social and personal development.
Dr. (Mrs) Rita Holm Adzovie
She said counselling played a critical role in the life of every student and for that matter students and the general public must avail themselves for counselling to facilitate academic, career, personal, and social development.
Dr. Adzovie urged students to take advantage of professional counsellors assigned to their halls of residence.
A Counsellor at the Counselling Centre, Prof. Linda Dzama Forde, who treated the topic: “Balancing Heartbreak and High Achievements”, explained that “a break up simply means the relationship was not the right relationship – it was the wrong relationship.”
Prof. Linda Dzama Forde
She mentioned loss of trust, jealousy, poor communication and possessiveness as some of the reasons why relationships fail.
She maintained that break ups in relationships were normal and students should take break ups in good faith and move on in life.
“Accepting reality has to do with recognising that breakups are painful. And if something is painful, what do you do? Nature has its ways of helping us to release emotional pain. Sharing the problem is one. Crying is one. It’s okay to cry. But it’s also important not to stay in that mood of just mourning, grieving and blaming yourself.”
Speaking on the topic: “Healthy versus Unhealthy Relationships on Campus,” a Counsellor at the University Health Services, Mrs. Bridgette Nzima-Mensah, entreated students to engage in healthy relationships to secure their well-being and mental health.
According to her, unhealthy relationships were unacceptable, disrespectful and undignified behaviours displayed in a relationship.
Mrs. Nzima-Mensah said: “Any relationship that attacks your self-worth and makes you doubt yourself, makes you feel ashamed and guilty and doesn’t make you feel good about yourself is toxic for you and should not be encouraged.”
“If you have been affected by an unhealthy relationship with anyone, if you are in a toxic relationship, if you are struggling with self-worth, don’t keep it to yourself, seek professional help and heal,” she advised.
As part of the event, the students had the opportunity to pose questions on relationship to the facilitators. The excitement of the students was visible in the questions they asked after each presentation.
The event was chaired by the Vice-Dean of Students, Prof. Edem Amenumey.
Source: Documentation and Information Section