stress on a college student

Stressed Out College Students
Ever feel over exhausted, depressed, sleep deprived, while rushing to turn in a term paper? Stress is a major issue facing several college students. Stress can be caused by family responsibilities, financial obligations, time management, and peer pressure. The effects of stress can lead to physical difficulties, irresponsible decisions, poor choices in relationships, emotional and mental drain.

Students may experience financial stress for a variety of reasons. The most common is due to the cost of attending college. Other possible sources of financial stress include unforeseen emergencies like a hospital bill or car accident. As most students generally have few savings, they do not have money to pay for unexpected expenses. A parent may also lose a job and be unable to contribute to their childs education, increasing a students responsibility for paying for their college expenses. Most students work while they are trying to obtain academic excellence in school. Students may also experience stress from balancing their school and work responsibilities. This affects how the student deals with attending college. It can interfere with the cost of books, necessities, emergency costs and everyday costs. Therefore this adds a tremendous stressor to the everyday life of an individual. A student can feel sleep deprived or even physical drain due to their hectic schedule.

Family responsibilities can be the number one cause of stress in a college student. Changes in family structure may present stress during this time, including issues such as parent’s divorce, moving out of parents home, or having kids of their own. Feelings of acceptance by parents are not only linked to health-risk behaviors, the feelings are also linked to the adjustment of college life and academic achievement. For example, the demand of family to have the constant attention and time of a student, causes the time spent tending to the need of the family could be used more responsibly, doing homework or studying for exams.

Time management is difficult for all college students. Making effective use of time is a critical element of a college student success. Along with the attention of their education, students often work and participate in extracurricular activities along with maintaining personal relationships. A lack of ability to prioritize and devote the right amount of time in the most important activities has negative effects on student performance. To illustrate television, video games, cellphones, parties and sleep have all been known to distract well-meaning college students from productive activities like studying and homework.

Peer pressure from peers has become an important influence on behavior during the college years, and has been a hallmark of student’s experiences. Peer pressure is commonly associated with episodes of adolescent risk taking such as delinquency, drug abuse, sexual behaviors, and reckless driving. These activities commonly occur in the company of peers. Therefore can lead to a degree of illegal usage of drugs, underage drinking or in some cases can lead an individual in to the hospital. The outcome can lead a student in jail with a DUI, possession of a controlled substance or even expulsion from the university all these can play an important aspect in a student’s academic affairs.

In conclusion have ever feel over exhausted, depressed, sleep deprived, while rushing to turn in a term paper? Most college students have at some point or another experienced this. Take a time to relax and take a breath of fresh air. A student can only be as good as their attitude. Stressors are part of everyday life especially in the beginning of a fresh college student.

Works Cited
Colon, K. "7 Main Causes of Stress in College Students Today ... | All Women Stalk." Lifestyle. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
Connor, J., and D. Pope. "Health and Learning volume 67 number 4 pages 54-58." Challenge Success. Educational Leadership, 1 Jan. 2001. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .
Driscoll, E. "Stress in College: What Causes it and How to Combat it." Fox Business. FOXBusiness, 31 Mar. 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .
Henriques, G. "What Is Causing the College Student Mental Health Crisis? | Psychology Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Gregg Henrique in Theory of Knowledge, 21 Feb. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
Scott, E. "Stress In College: Where It Comes From, and How To Manage." About.com Stress Management. About.com, 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
Wou, J. "Stress in College- Common Causes of Stress In College | The American Institute of Stress." American Institute of Stress is dedicated to advancing the understanding of Stress in Health and Illness. The Stanford Daily News, 29 Feb. 2000. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

Cited: Colon, K. "7 Main Causes of Stress in College Students Today ... | All Women Stalk." Lifestyle. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. Connor, J., and D. Pope. "Health and Learning volume 67 number 4 pages 54-58." Challenge Success. Educational Leadership, 1 Jan. 2001. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. . Driscoll, E. "Stress in College: What Causes it and How to Combat it." Fox Business. FOXBusiness, 31 Mar. 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. . Henriques, G. "What Is Causing the College Student Mental Health Crisis? | Psychology Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Gregg Henrique in Theory of Knowledge, 21 Feb. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. Scott, E. "Stress In College: Where It Comes From, and How To Manage." About.com Stress Management. About.com, 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. Wou, J. "Stress in College- Common Causes of Stress In College | The American Institute of Stress." American Institute of Stress is dedicated to advancing the understanding of Stress in Health and Illness. The Stanford Daily News, 29 Feb. 2000. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.