The study, which began in 1938, involved two very different groups: Harvard students and boys from working-class Boston. It eventually included their partners and children, giving us a unique, 80-year-old database of how people age, grow, love, get sick and mature.
The researchers regularly conducted interviews, health and psychological tests, asked about life satisfaction, friendships, marriages, loneliness, successes and failures. And although hundreds of variables were tracked, one came back with an undeniable force: people who had close, supportive relationships in adulthood – with partners, family, friends or community – were healthier, lived longer, had greater mental resilience and a sense of purpose. What’s more, these relationships did not have to be perfect – what mattered was the sense that in difficult times you could count on another person. Loneliness, on the other hand, turned out to be dramatically harmful – physiologically as dangerous as smoking, and psychologically leading to depression, heart disease, memory impairment and, in extreme cases, premature death.
This message – that a good life is built on good relationships – is particularly important in institutions such as universities. Due to the fact that a university is not just a place to impart knowledge or earn degrees. It is also – and perhaps above all – a social space. A place where we meet others, build bonds and become a part of a community.
That is why the University of Lodz, our university, consciously takes action to build an open, safe and supportive environment. A deep need for belonging, visibility and being recognised as a valuable person is not an addition to the educational process – it is its foundation. Every person – regardless of psychosexual orientation, gender identity, skin colour, origin or religion – needs the same thing: to be seen, heard and accepted as they are.
We believe that how we treat each other has a direct impact on how we learn, work and live.
Text: dr hab. Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz
Pride Month is a time to celebrate diversity, but also a reminder of the responsibility we share as an academic community – to create a university where every person – student, doctoral candidate, academic or staff member – feels seen, supported, and treated equally.
Every person in our community matters. Together, we build a place where differences don’t divide – they enrich us.
Let’s assess – but only coursework. Let’s open our minds – not just to knowledge. Let’s respect one another – no buts!
Proud member of #UniLodzTeam