“College will be the time of your life!”
Elliott Adams
“College will be the time of your life!”
That short phrase has been the standard slogan for advertising and encouraging the typical college experience.
However, the typical college experience isn’t as typical as it used to be.
Being overworked, overwhelmed, and overstressed is a state of being that most college students can relate to.
“We’ll all have undergone mass amounts of stress and wasted time and money only for a really horrible job outlook,” said Eve Petersen, a 19-year-old student at Mesa Community College.
Petersen, who takes five classes at MCC and said she spends an average of three hours a night on homework, is overwhelmed by the college experience and the stress it creates for her.
“College is a lot more stressful than most average paying jobs would ever be,” Petersen said.
Petersen also said that besides a lack of time and motivation, college has created some unappealing effects on her health.
“Sometimes I have trouble eating which makes me very weak, but I either have no time to eat or feel too busy to,” Petersen said.
This feeling of weakness and interrupted appetite is a common side effect of excessive stress, according to Suzy Horton, a professor of psychological science at MCC.
“When the body is subject to excessive stress, also known as chronic stress, the body must make a higher amount of stress hormones and therefore diverts energy,” Horton said. “The body then tells itself not to digest food or try and reproduce because handling stress becomes top priority.”
Caitlin Gleason, a 19-year old student at Arizona State University, said that the quality of her assignments usually correlates with the number of assignments she’s given.
“Sometimes all of my classes will assign things at the same time which makes me feel overwhelmed and sometimes I just need a break,” Gleason said.
Gleason also said the balance between her school life, work life, and social life has proven to be a struggle during her college experience.
“I spend so much time on school that I never get to see some of my friends,” Gleason said.
“There is never enough time for sleep, family, or friends, and trying to balance work and school and be successful in both creates a lot of pressure.”
However, according to Horton, this pressure can be a good thing and is what drives students to get stuff done.
“Your body is designed to withstand forces and constantly be on guard so when something causes you to feel stressed, your sympathetic nervous system uses hormonal action to tell you to be careful and adapt to the situation,” Horton said.
According to Horton, the high levels of stress that college students experience have nothing to do with the amount of work but corresponds to how students complete, or don’t complete, that work.
Horton said it all comes down to how students prioritize their time and assignments.
“College students are notorious for procrastination,” Horton said
Horton said a healthy diet, exercise, and a consistent sleep schedule is also necessary to a functioning student because being sick can just add physical stress to an already mentally stressed person.
“When your body hurts, exercise your mind. When your mind hurts, exercise your body,” Horton said. ” Stress is a mind hurt, so go out and take a walk if you’re feeling overwhelmed or find a way to reward any progress you’ve already made.”
Sharon McLaughlin, a faculty member at MCC who specializes in Health and Wellness, said the effects of stress are more prominent in those who view stress negatively and tend to dwell on it.
“As far as mitigating the negative stress, some of the most effective ways to do so are by getting an adequate amount of sleep, staying hydrated, and eating a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and limited added sugars,” McLaughlin said. “But the best way to improve stressful behavior is through time management. Planning out your week’s activities in advance, working on assignments when they are first assigned and not waiting till the due date makes it easier to plan ahead and keep a schedule stress free.’
