perhaps a controversial take, but with all of this "listen to your students and be an empathic professor" discourse happening this time of year, I think it's an important reminder that students should never feel obligated to spill their traumas in order to receive compassion

the real key is to BELIEVE your students and not require them to spill their guts in order to receive any form of accommodation. (you are not their only professor and it's exhausting to retraumatize yourself each semester)

it's fantastic that so many profs on this app are encouraging others to be empathic to their students needs... but often this behaviour comes after patting yourself on the back for having a student cry to you about their difficulties this semester. this is wrong.

i used to cry in my professor's offices or send lengthy emails whenever i'd need to explain why i needed an extension.
what if we just made it the norm that if a student says they need some extra time, you believed them no questions asked.

you can help and care for your students without being emotionally invested in their stories. and sometimes, they'd rather it be that way.

end rant