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Understanding Today’s Students: Soup to Nuts – Expectations of Today’s Women

By Julianne Scibetta, Albany College of Pharmacy

Women outnumber men in American education these days, especially higher education. And while we have more things to remember, worry about, and schedule these days, it appears that the task list for women continues to grow.

Women have finally reached a point where they grow up with the expectation to get the preparation for a career. We know that women are marrying later in life and having children later in life. Most American households rely on two salaries to stay afloat. Despite all of the housewives shows, American women want a career. Victory for feminism!

But underneath the no-longer-revolutionary strength that comes as having internalized these expectations lies another serious stressor for women. Unlike their mothers before them, today’s women are bombarded with conflicting messages of feminism. These messages reach far beyond what you’d call a backlash against feminist’s ideals.

Many of today’s women grow up with the idea that while a good career is important, its importance comes from its contribution (monetarily) to a family – not for her personal independence. Today’s women grow up reading about body love and acceptance in magazines that still feature skinny models. They learn about sexuality and sensuality in articles one page away from tips to get ahead on the job (and they don’t include dressing sensually).

Today’s women want to get a good job that will let them be home for their children. The latch-key kids are growing up and deciding they want a better life for their children, and in their minds it means being there. For many of these women, higher education is an end to the pressure to contribute even more than would have been expected in all areas – not a means.

Before I continue, let me further explain that as always I am addressing today’s traditional college-age students and what might be their mindset. Many of these characteristics and values are already commonly held among non-traditional or adult learners.

A few years ago this feeling and expectation in women was identified as “effortless perfection.” (Sara Lipka, Chronicle of Higher Education, May 1, 2004). Simply summarized one could say that these expectations encompass a “smart, accomplished, fit, beautiful, and popular [woman], and that all this would happen without visible effort,” simultaneously. Perhaps all of these qualities and expectations had existed before, but not to the same confusing extent and reality as they are present today.

The new year welcomed a new role for American women with the inauguration of the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives. And for the first time, a female candidate has begun a campaign for the White House. While some would say that it’s about time women had made such political strides, I saw a reflection of these juxtaposed values in Nancy Pelosi’s inaugural speech. Banging the gavel and surrounded by her grandchildren, Madam Speaker proclaimed a victory for women while subtly reminding us all that even while generations of women have worked hard to achieve equity, there must still be some consideration and caring for the generations to come.

Some societies are beginning to finally recognize and rectify some of the unrealistic expectations on women. One of the most striking is beauty, as some European fashion icons making a healthy weight the minimum standard for models. The debate continues in Europe and in the United States about the standards for beauty, but the message is clear: our expectations are changing and need to change.

Until they do, however, we are left with women who are seeking to have it all, perfectly, and effortlessly. This equals an increased pressure on female students to excel at everything without breaking a sweat. And with female enrollment in higher education reaching 60%, there is no surprise that we’ll find ourselves addressing more insecurities, stresses, and breakdowns than ever.

We often talk about the link between motivation and learning and achievement. I know that I have taken for granted the idea that women are motivated for themselves and for their own self-reliance and independence. This I have taken for granted more so with traditional college-age women than non-traditional students. It’s conflicting to instill the value of lifelong learning in someone who values family more, and ethically I don’t believe I should or should have to. And yet it appears that as higher education become more and more accessible to every and all kinds of students – becomes a universal experience – our ways of approaching motivation, learning, and career understanding must also adapt to be more inclusive of these perspectives.

Questions or comments? Contact the author at scibettj@acp.edu.

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