How many of us have felt overwhelmed by undergraduate and graduate school today? I think we all have experienced the stress of being students. Universities have become a stressful atmosphere where students struggle to maintain their well-being while completing multiple tasks. The stress we experience today is part of a flawed system that sustains mental challenges for students by requiring too much from students.
During the summer of 2024, I got sick with a virus, and it took me weeks to get better. I was taking summer courses, and I felt exhausted. I was juggling assignments, readings, essays, discussions and keeping up with other responsibilities. I made a self-reflection, and I realized that the stress was coming from school. Sometimes I would stay up past midnight and wake up at 8 a.m. to complete assignments. I was not learning during that summer: I was completing homework assignments just to retain enough knowledge to pass the course. This was during the summer and my spring semester, both of which were online, which happened to be my first.
One of the goals I have set for myself is getting good grades, which have come at a cost. In addition to this personal goal, my department also generally holds a high academic standard. I often feel tension throughout my body, experiencing fatigue, anxiety, restlessness and an overall sense of unwellness. My pulse rises, my breathing becomes shallow, and my stress levels become unmanageable. These symptoms are signs of unhealthy stress, which can lead to problems in the long term…