Common Sources of Stress for College Students

Many people may remember their college years as a nonstop parade of good times. While college can be wonderful, even those who have largely positive memories of those years would probably recall, on digging a little deeper, that there were plenty of stresses as well. If you have a child, a relative or a friend who is headed off to college or if you are doing so yourself, anticipating some of the potential stresses and thinking about how to manage them can better prepare you for the challenges ahead. Some amount of stress is good and can help in motivation, but when it becomes overwhelming, students may need to seek help.

Housing

Housing can be a big source of stress in many ways. Students may not get along with their roommates, or their housing may be too noisy or uncomfortable in other ways. If they are living off campus, they might have problems with the landlords or neighbors. Some may struggle to find housing at all, and there are accounts of students sleeping in their cars in order to attend classes. You can review a guide on housing insecurity among college students and possible solutions. People who are dealing with serious issues such as these and the stresses that result from them might want to see whether their campus offers telehealth for mental health support. This can be a convenient option for many people and can make seeking help easier.

Academics

A frequent source of stress is academics. Some people arrive at college and simply don't have the study habits they need. This is not because they are poor students but often because they were very successful in high school without having to do much work and they never learned how to study. Others may struggle because the coursework is simply too difficult for them or because they are pursuing a major that does not interest them, often under pressure from family. Students who are dealing with these types of issues should look into campus resources, such as tutoring options, and talk to their advisers and professors.

Finances

Most students are stressed about money. It can be hard to make ends meet. They may be worried about how much they have borrowed. They might have fallen into a trap of putting things on their credit cards and are now struggling to keep up with their minimum payments. Learning to budget can be the best way to resolve this particular type of stress. Students who weren't taught good money management and budgeting from their parents might find budgeting apps helpful.

Time

Time is another big stressor, and it can work in conjunction with some of the above issues. It could be a factor in why some people are struggling academically. Money worries could lead students to pick up a part-time job, which could create a real time crunch for them. It's important to prioritize, but sometimes there is simply too much to do, and all of it is important. Students may want to consider cutting their work hours, class loads or extracurricular activities, or they could try to take one or two less demanding classes alongside the more difficult ones.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes