Maslow’s Hierarchy of University Student Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, portrayed on a pyramid, is an essential tool to understand why people act the way they act.

Instead of having to read silly business jargons like "This diagram disambiguates the social hierarchy by granulating each mark", let me explain this essential theorem through something you can grasp easily—the five stages of a university student's life:

1. PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS: THE FRESHMAN'S DILEMMA

You are a newly enrolled student in a university. As a fresher, you have but one objective: survive with the bare essentials. You must know where the food is, you must know how to interact with your seniors and you also must know that wearing shorts and choppols to your classroom isn't exactly an appropriate choice of attire.

2. SAFETY NEEDS: THE FRESHMAN'S HABITUATION

You are a few months into your first year. But, what's this? The food's turning your stomach into a grinder? Or that sketchy-looking kid finally asked for your phone number? This is where you learn that "surviving" isn't enough. You'll have to take precautions for your well-being, and upholding a favourable GPA for a future that won't parkour out of your hands.

3. SOCIAL NEEDS:

THE SOPHOMORE'S PURSUIT

You did it! You're finally a sophomore. You have people around you haven't met, and you would like to connect with them because you are in a more secure stage now, and you can handle connecting with that Career Club that seems promising to you, or the polapain that know how to have fun, or that cutie you are interested in.

4. ESTEEM NEEDS: THE JUNIOR'S DRAG

Your sophomore year is behind you. You seem to be growing more popular day by day. Keeping a positive image of yourself, and wanting your peers, seniors, juniors and teachers to see you in that light can be beneficiary for you. Holding up your self-esteem and keeping yourself in a positive light will make your basic needs much easier to gain. Be a kind and reliable soul.

5. SELF-ACTUALISATION NEEDS: THE SENIOR'S ACCEPTANCE

You learn to love and accept yourself. You learn that keeping a positive self-perception is highly instrumental. Mean words from the people around you are just that: mean words. You realise your worth and don't let others ever devalue your abilities. With confidence, memories, and lessons, you look forward to your graduation and enter the bigger world.

Aka is a tiny bleep on the world's radar, and he finds peace in knowing it. Ruin his peace by poking him on [email protected]