College is a stressful place. If you’re not panicking about assignment deadlines, you are worried about paying your student loans off when you graduate. This is both the best of times and the worst of times! If you’re not careful, stress and anxiety could undermine this important time in your life, so read on for some handy tips to help you manage your stress better.
Louis Hernandez Jr highlights that according to a study by the Associated Press, 80% of college students have experienced some degree of stress in their daily lives. This is double the figures of a similar survey carried out five years previously.
Stress typically manifests as anxiety, sleeplessness, and depression. If stress isn’t tackled when the symptoms arise, it can lead to health problems and difficulties meeting course requirements. Some students even end up dropping out of college because they can’t cope with the demands of their course.
Stress and College Work
The work is a big stressor in any student’s life, unless you’re a genius and finding the course super easy. In which case, you need to push yourself harder!
There are several reasons why you might be having difficulties with the coursework. Are you unhappy with your major? Is the work too hard? Are your college professors not providing enough assistance?
Talk to your professor in the first instance, but if they are the problem, speak to a student advisor. Don’t let your work slide past the point of no return, or you might end up having to retake a year.
Stress and Money
Money is a huge problem for many students. They are supremely conscious of all the debt they are accruing, but they don’t have time to take on part-time jobs to ease their personal finances.
There are several ways to tackle this issue. First, look for grants and scholarships to help pay your tuition fees. Next, if you think you can cope with the extra workload, graduating as quickly as possible will reduce your debt burden.
Lastly, consider taking on at least one part-time job, even if it’s only providing tuition to other students or high school kids. There are plenty of flexible part-time gigs available online. Earning a few extra bucks could make a huge difference to your college budget.
Stress and the College Lifestyle
College is supposed to be fun, but often it is a huge ordeal. For many students, this is their first experience of living away from home. They find it hard to adjust to life away from mom and dad and becoming self-sufficient is a steep learning curve.
Don’t be afraid to admit you are struggling. It’s not easy making friends. Just because everyone else appears to be having a ball, it doesn’t mean they are any happier than you. Join clubs and societies and hang out with students who have similar interests. That way, it will be easier to make friends. And if it helps, make the trip home more often in the early days.
Make an appointment with a college counselor if stress is causing you problems. Their job is to help you acclimatize to college life!