Why So Stressed?

Deadlines, tuition, student loans, early classes, late night study sessions, maintaining relationships and trying to get some sort of sleep are only a few things on a long list that college students have to worry about. 

Trying to balance life as a college student can be difficult at times. Many people believe that all college students have to do is go to class and it’s that simple. The life of a college student can actually have a huge impact on that student’s mental health.

According to an article on Psychology Today, there has been a substantial increase in rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation and some increase in loneliness. 

The amount of responsibility, expectations and pressure that some college students receive can cause a tremendous amount of stress on students. The stress does not only come from school but when students go home and must live their lives, at times life at home can add on more to the stress they already have. There is no specific characteristic that makes a college student, a college student can be any age, they can have children, be homeless, married, have a full-time job and much more. Stress already plans a huge role in people’s lives, for college students they have different types of stress and most of the time more than one type. These stresses expressed by affordablecollegesonline.org are time stress, anticipatory stress, situational stress, encounter stress, finances, test anxiety and much more. Trying to balance all of that and school can be very overwhelming and can increase the risk of anxieties, depression and other related mental health disorders. 

Throughout this blog there will be different methods that can help college students manage their student life as well as their life outside of school. Helpful techniques to study, time management, organization, the importance of sleep, meditation, healthy quick foods for on the go and balancing relationships are topics that will help students have a sense of control and help them manage their lives so it won’t feel too overwhelming.  Being able to provide this help for students will not only help them and their mental health now in school but also it will help them in the future when they graduate and move on to their careers. In the article published by the NIH called Students benefits and barriers to mental health help-seeking 

“Without treatment, students experiencing mental health disorders are at high risk for lower grade point averages, school dropout, and unemployment.” 

Resources and help must be provided to these students to help them succeed through this part of their lives.  They must know that they aren’t alone and that there are people and other resources available to help them. Applying these tips and tricks and helpful daily habits will help the students be less stressed and more prepared to face challenges and overcoming them, instead of letting the challenges overcome them. Living a healthy life and maintaining a healthy mind is the key to a successful college experience.