There is a trend sweeping through schools and universities: the setting up of "safe spaces" where students can go to get away from words, opinions, and even people that upset them is becoming something of an issue. School is supposed to be a place of learning and discussing ideas that are different than our own. School is also supposed to prepare students to deal with the real world and the situations they may encounter there. Creating a space where students, who have no legitimate need, can run away from their problems essentially defeats the purpose of attending school in the first place.

In order to learn, it could be said that one must be confronted by ideas fundamentally different than their own. In so doing, they learn to look at issues from multiple perspectives as opposed to just their own. When school is over and you are out in the real world there is next to zero chances that your place of work will provide you with a place to escape a coworker's differing opinion. Hiding from the world holds no benefit for anyone. It only leaves you in a corner of ignorance. Try thinking about how a conversation would go if everyone participating had the same opinions and beliefs as you. That would make for a very boring discussion. Differing opinions and opposing perspectives are what build meaningless small talk into real, meaningful discussion. Remove that, and there is no longer any substance.

Safe spaces negate almost everything that attending school stands for. If you feel the need to get away and recharge, then walk away from the discussion and spend some time in your dorm. Listen to some music or take a nap. Read a good fiction book to escape reality for a while and enter someone else's. The world is tough, occasionally brutal, and yes, there are those that will utterly refuse to respect your opinions and ideas. Don't lock yourself away in that corner of ignorance where everything conforms to your world view. You will be sorely disappointed. Instead, take it one day at a time and deal with it. Don't waste your own time, and the time of others, running from what you can't change.