Watch CBS News

New Campaign At Drexel Aims To Teach Students Failure Can Be Key To Success

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Students are constantly being urged to do better and achieve more. Now, universities are starting campaigns to let young people know that no one is perfect.

'Adulting is Hard' is a new campaign at Drexel University aimed at letting students know that it's okay to fail once in a while. Dr. Paul Furtaw, Associate Director for Counseling, says students must understand that mistakes happen and you can learn a lot from not being perfect.

"You can prepare to get somewhere best by being flexible and light on your feet and ready to stick to your abilities," Furtaw said, "but not in a way that any one single setback can crush you permanently."

READ: Don't Be A Victim: Scam Artists Look To Target Summer Travelers

He says the high cost of education, parental expectations and the power of social media can make a student feel overwhelmed by the pressure.

"There's a lot of tendency to look good and do good," Furtaw said, "but behind the scenes students lose track of how much their peers also struggle and how nobody has as pretty a picture as appears on social media.

He says students hear that no one is perfect, but it's better to learn and understand a favorite professor once failed a class and still has found success.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.