Abstract
War generates the most devastating experiences, impacting the functioning and quality of life of those it directly affects, but also those it potentially threatens. Using a value-based approach, the authors aimed to examine the opinions of students from the University of Rzeszów and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw regarding their quality of life in the context of the war in Ukraine. The study was longitudinal in nature. The study's duration (2022 and 2024) did not statistically significantly differentiate their quality of life assessments, which mainly yielded average values on a five-point Likert scale. In the second study, assessments of selected life areas, including overall life satisfaction, increased only slightly. The results also show that respondents in both studies expressed similar opinions regarding, among other things, the causes of the war, the motivations of the Russian government, and the projected scenario for Ukraine, Poland, and Europe. The aim of this article is to present the opinions of students from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw and the University of Rzeszów regarding their quality of life in relation to the war in Ukraine. Direct proximity to a country engulfed in war, along with a number of complex factors (including living conditions, health and safety, attitudes toward current war events, etc.), can determine opinions about quality of life. Given the negative perceptions regarding their own safety, future teachers require not only substantive preparation but also psychological training to address their own fears and, ultimately, equip them with the skills to provide assistance to future students and pupils.