College can be fun, yet stressful at the same time.
The type of major a student chose could determine their levels of stress; pharmacy is no ‘walk through the park,’ yet criminal justice may not take as much work.
The big question of the day is, what exactly is stress. Stress is pressure or strain, a factor that induces bodily or mental tension.
My first year in college was very stressful but not because of my grades. It was the thought of being around new people, adapting to the new environment and being away from the people that I cared about most.
I was very stressed but, believe it or not, I learned more about myself in that one year than I had my entire life.
College life encompasses finances, relationships and grades, which is enough to drive any college student mad. FAMU’s student counseling services came to my class last year and said that suicide is the number one leading cause of death among college students. They also said that many college students commit suicide because they allow the stress of life and school to overwhelm them.
Going to class everyday is no problem but dealing with the finances of paying for school and having money to live on a day-to-day basis can be slightly difficult. Most students who obtain jobs find it difficult to keep their grades up, while stressing over the fact that being in school does not stop the bills from rolling in.
In an institution, you must face different responsibilities in respect to the changes of being in a new environment, and around new people.
In college, you learn to build new relationships with people on many different levels. Whether it is being strictly friends or having serious relationships. Being accepted by your peers could be a major cause of stress because not only do you want to fit in but you also want to build a true friendship with loyal and trustworthy people.
Some students, like myself, feel as though they are holding more weight on their shoulders because they are worried about living up to their families’ expectations.
When a student is the first in the family to attend college, everyone in the family seems to be involved in their progress in school. Pushing yourself to be what your family wants can stress you even more because you are afraid you might let them down.
Here are a few things I want you to take with you: if it is something you can’t change, let it go; don’t live in the past because the future is all that matters; don’t put others before yourself or you will never progress in life.
Stress is all over this campus but it does not necessarily have to affect you.
Natasha Hamilton is a sophomore broadcast journalism student from Jacksonville. She can be reached Natashashamilton@yahoo.com.