The Harvard EdCast

Why Half of College Students Feel Alone and How to Fix It | Alexis Redding

April 8, 2026·28 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

00:00 – Rethinking the “Best Years” Narrative 01:30 – Are Students in Crisis—or in Transition? 03:00 – What the Data Really Says 05:00 – Loneliness as a Normal Developmental Experience 07:00 – The Expectation Gap 09:00 – When Language Gets Complicated 11:30 – The Institutional Dilemma 13:30 – Meeting Students Where They Are 15:00 – The W-Curve Explained 17:30 – Why the W-Curve Matters 19:00 – Beyond the Traditional Student 20:30 – Building Connection in Online Learning 22:00 – From Theory to Practice 23:30 – The Power of “Micro-Mentorship” 25:00 – Supporting Students Through Big Decisions 26:00 – Advice for Parents 27:00 – Final Takeaways

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