The 2026 autumn semester has quickly entered full swing, and I am eager to see how my English composition students at Ohio State University's Lima campus approach their research for their first essay. We have not yet had our library research sessions, but some have expressed strong interest in writing about the importance of literacy for their generation, with artificial intelligence posing new academic challenges for them and their younger peers in high school. I was very pleased to read in their first-day writing assignments how strongly these students feel about doing their own work and further developing their critical thinking skills. They are very focused on making the most of what college has to offer, having not forgotten the setbacks they endured in middle school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their enthusiasm also supports a major finding from a Walton Family Foundation and Gallup study last year titled "2025 Voices of Gen Z." There were 1,746 13- to 18-year-olds in this survey sample. Fifty percent said that "school gives them the opportunity to do what they do best," and 78% shared that they had a teacher who "makes them excited about the future." The Walton survey also noted that student engagement typically begins to lag from middle to high school. The majority of my students were high school seniors when this report was published, and their experiences appear to be similar to those of their age cohort.

While many of my students are brimming with anticipation to begin their college careers, they have also expressed some concerns as they start their classes. Apprehension about doing well and unease about finances were their top two worries. This aligns with Watermark's list of the six most common difficulties that current college students face: financial uncertainty, balancing competing responsibilities, academic preparedness, accessibility barriers, changes in campus and living environments, and mental health and wellness. Many colleges and universities use Watermark's digital software platform to evaluate student learning and course assessments, and the data it provides is useful when considering the path my students are on. OSU Lima is a commuter campus, and many of my students work to pay their tuition. I have already had to make some adjustments for students whose work schedules changed during the second week of the semester by providing Zoom recordings of the classes they missed. I know that being flexible will help reduce their stress levels and provide them with a sense of comfort as the deadlines for their major writing assignments approach. Some of my students also expressed in their first-day writing that they did not feel fully prepared for college-level work, even though they had written argumentative and explanatory essays in high school that required research and documentation. I reassured them that even if they felt their writing was average, they still learned the basics of scholarly research and would continue to build upon this foundation in my class. I hope my encouragement will help prevent them from burning out, because once stress levels escalate, academic performance drops.

As the semester progresses, I know that some unexpected obstacles may arise. I have already had two students deal with a family emergency, but thankfully they will be able to continue their studies. Throughout my years teaching at OSU Lima, I have seen the incredible resilience of students determined to achieve their educational goals. This type of grit reminds me of how people lean on their faith in God to move mountains in their lives. Mountains in Scripture can symbolize severe problems we encounter that may seem unmovable, but I have seen many students persevere through them. During the freshman convocation three weeks ago, two students I observed wore attire that showcased where they are placing their trust. One was a young man wearing a red T-shirt with white letters that read "Jesus Won." The second was a female student wearing a sweater decorated with butterflies hovering over Bible verses. I believe that these two, along with their new Buckeye classmates, will be diligent and dedicated in the classroom, and I am blessed to be one of the professors who will guide them along the way.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on X: @JjSmojc. To find out more about Jessica Johnson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Meredith Spencer at Unsplash