Revolt of the Cambridge cry-babies
Freshers’ fury after don dares to say: Stop drinking and start studying
CAMBRIDGE students accused a professor of ‘damaging their mental wellbeing’ by asking them to work hard and avoid getting drunk.
Eugene Terentjev sent out the advice in an email to first-year physical science undergraduates to prepare them for the ‘very hard’ course ahead.
He told them they would need their ‘full brain capacity’ – and even that might not be enough for some.
The email was seized upon by campaigners at Student Minds Cambridge, who said it was ‘not appropriate or acceptable’. ‘ No matter how much work you have, no matter your current levels of attainment, there is nothing more important than your mental health,’ they said.
‘We are very concerned this could be extremely damaging to the mental wellbeing of the students concerned, and potentially others as well.
‘It is important to remember there are many reasons different people get different grades, and it does not mean they do not deserve their place here.’
Micha Frazer-Carroll, the student union welfare and rights officer, said the email ‘only looked to criticise the very premise of having a social life, or any sort of life, outside of study’.
She wrote online: ‘Cambridge University student union welfare and rights supports students in prioritising their own wellbeing – and not simply because it “enables you to work better”, but wellbeing for wellbeing’s sake.’
In his email, Professor Terentjev advised his charges that they were ‘not at any other uni’ where students ‘drink a lot’ and ‘ have a good time’ and advised them instead to ‘learn to enjoy’ the course.
As director of studies in natural sciences at Queens’ College, he sent the warning in an introductory message to freshers. He said he was concerned by rumours about a rise in drinking games, such as the penny game.
Tom Slater, a campaigner for free speech at unversities, said the professor was doing his duty. ‘ A professor
‘Encouraging them to be fragile’
telling students to work hard is not damaging or demeaning, it’s his job,’ he added.
‘ Nowadays, students are being treated as somewhere between children and psychiatric patients.
‘They need to be looked after, coddled rather than challenged, their wellbeing attended to at all times.
‘Students will – and probably should – disobey Mr Terentjev’s suggestions. Not for the sake of their mental health, but for the sake of having a life. But this obsession with students’ stress and anxiety is only encouraging them to be fragile, and discouraging them from taking responsibility for themselves. Good on him for challenging it.’
The email was published by student newspaper Varsity and has gone viral online. It ends with the instruction not to be fooled by the sight of other students partying because ‘none of them are physical scientists’.
Today’s student generation have been branded ‘snowflakes’ because of their demands to be protected on campus.
Last month it emerged that Cambridge issues ‘trigger warnings’ about ‘upsetting content’ in Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus in an effort to protect mental health.
Students at Queen’s University in Belfast are warned about ‘offensive content’ in history and politics classes which examine the rise of the far Right.
Many student unions ban speakers, newspapers and even fancy dress costumes in case they violate ‘safe space’ policies. Oxford students banned the Christian Union from their college freshers’ fair by claiming religion is ‘an excuse for homophobia and neo-colonialism’.
Two years ago, students in the city campaigned unsuccessfully to have a statue of the imperialist Cecil Rhodes torn down over concerns it was offensive to ethnic minorities.
And students have tried to ban lectures by feminist Germaine Greer over her views on transgender people, and gay rights activist Peter Tatchell over his views on Islam. A uni- versity spokesman said: ‘The welfare and mental health of its students is a priority.
‘All first-year students in all disciplines, having undergone the thorough admissions process that Cambridge requires, have the capacity to succeed.’