Stress is a “nonspecific response of the body to any demands made upon it.” (Murff, p. 102) Stress, when it is sufficiently severe, can cause psychological damage, as the body is exposed to heightened conditions for too long a period of time, making their behavior less effective. College students are often privy to “a unique set of stressors which can affect their daily experiences.” (Murff, p. 102) In college, there are multiple sources of stress that cause stress due to the ambiguity and strain that each role places on them. However, in order to become a successful college student, ways to cope with this stress must be found; once a student is able to do that, they can handle the incredible workload and social quandaries that meet them in a college setting.
Symptoms of stress include obsessionalism, absent-mindedness, and depression, and homesickness can also be included in a college context. (Dyson & Renk, p. 1232) Stress has an adverse effect on the level of happiness experienced by a student in college life, and as such must be minimized in order to create a more positive and nurturing experience for said student. While optimism and pessimism in an individual’s personality can affect the varying levels of stress that are experienced, stress occurs in college students all the same (Schiffrin & Nelson, p.38).
Adaptation is defined as adjustment from one environment to another; this most certainly occurs with college students. There are all manner of new problems and concepts that they must deal with, and the pressures that are placed upon them from multiple fronts can lead to stress (Dyson & Renk, p. 1232). Freshman in particular have an incredibly tough time adjusting to college life, as there are stressors that remain from home. The loss of constant contact with their family and old friends from high school can wear on them, as there are few people they can connect to from their old life.
In order to deal with the stresses that college students have to go through, coping strategies must be used. These are “attempts to alter events or circumstances that are threatening” (Dyson & Renk, p. 1233). Coping strategies can include either proactive, problem-focused strategies, such as compartmentalization and strategy, or avoidant strategies like denial, wishful thinking, and self-distraction. The former type of strategy is often found in male students, whereas female students use the latter type of strategy, which is connected with negative outcomes in terms of education and grades.
Another negative phenomenon that is observed as a coping mechanism for stress in college students is stress-eating, particularly at night. There has been a direct correlation found between stress and night-eating syndrome. Night eating syndrome, or NES, is a condition where the hectic schedule and erratic sleep patterns of a college student dealing with constant deadlines often leaves them eating little during the morning, and a lot at night. This can lead to weight gain, and makes no measurable difference on the stress level of the college student over time (Wichianson, Bughi, Unger, Sprujit-Metz, & Nguyon-Rodriguez, p. 238).
Stress-identification programs are very useful in allowing students to address their stressful experiences and find better coping mechanisms for them. Strategies such as stress management seminars are very useful, in that they educate students on stress and show them the best ways to reduce stress. If someone has appropriate coping mechanisms created from these programs, they are less likely to let their stressors affect grades and their anxiety levels (Murff, p. 103).
Another potential solution for coping with stress is physical activity – for the most part, college students in particular are not keeping up with regular daily recommendations for proper diet and exercise. Due to not leading sufficiently active lifestyles, stress can also set in from that front. Research has shown that physical activity tends to relieve stress in most people, and is a recommended addition to the lifestyle of a college student in order to maintain appropriate physical and mental acuity (Nguyen-Michel, Unger, Hamilton & Sprujit-Metz, p. 186).
In conclusion, it can be argued that college life presents a number of stressors that can wreak havoc on the mental and emotional well-being of the student. Freshmen students are faced with a number of stressors related to life adjustments, including being away from most or all of the people they have grown up with. They are given all the responsibilities of an adult, as well as a rigorous academic schedule, making it doubly tough to adjust to this new, hectic environment.
In order to meet these challenges, coping mechanisms must be adopted. First and foremost, healthier eating and a more active lifestyle are necessary to deal with stress, as it keeps the body properly nourished and energetic. Stress-management education is also important due to its ability to teach coping strategies to those who may not be aware of them. Above all, a positive attitude and optimism is an effective barrier to stress. With the help of these coping strategies, the intense stress that college students typically feel due to their situation will be more than manageable.
Works Cited
Dyson, R., & Renk, K. “Freshmen adaptation to university life: Depressive symptoms, stress, and coping.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(10), 1231-1244, 2006.
Murff, S. “The Impact of Stress on Academic Success in College Students.” ABNF
Nguyen-Michel, S. T., Unger, J. B., Hamilton, J., & Spruijt-Metz, D. “Associations
between physical activity and perceived stress/hassles in college students.” Stress & Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 22(3), 179-188, 2006.
Schiffrin, H., & Nelson, S. S. “Stressed and Happy? Investigating the Relationship
Between Happiness and Perceived Stress.” Journal of Happiness Studies, 11(1), 33-39, 2010.
Wichianson, J. R., Bughi, S. A., Unger, J. B., Spruijt-Metz, D., & Nguyen-Rodriguez, S. T.
“Perceived stress, coping and night-eating in college students.” Stress & Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 25(3), 235-240, 2009.
