Recently, the term strawberry generation has become increasingly prevalent. This term refers to a generation that tends to give up easily, wants instant success, readily self-diagnoses issues related to mental health, and often gets caught in overthinking and feelings of insecurity.
To further explore this issue, at the auditorium of Gedung Bambang Lelono, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, the Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris program of Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, UNSOED held a guest lecturer class with the theme Healthy Teachers-Outstanding Students: Preparing for the Strawberry Generation. Featuring Kurniasih Dwi Purwanti, S.Psi., M.Psi., a psychologist at RS Ananda Purwokerto as the resource person, this general course was attended by students from the Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris program of the 2019, 2021, and 2022 cohorts.
The general class session proceeded very enjoyably. The resource person explained the concepts and issues of children and adolescent mental health, counseling paradigms, and ways to prepare for the strawberry generation interactively. The resource person also shared stories from their extensive counseling experience. Students appeared enthusiastic in listening and asking questions because they felt a connection between the material presented and their own circumstances.
By taking this general course, students are expected to become more aware of mental health issues, which will serve as valuable knowledge both for students individually and when they become educators. This general course is also expected to strengthen the theories and materials that students learn in the Guidance and Counseling course. Moreover, through this course, students are expected to equip themselves to become a generation that is not only stereotyped as giving up easily and wanting quick success, but to become a generation full of creativity, innovation, with quick thinking skills, active and effective listeners, and sensitive to their surroundings. (LMC)