Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
By Margaret Adolphus
Introduction
"The best days of your life" was how time at university used to be described. It still can be, but the phrase
better reflects a past era when people on a moderate income (usually provided by their parents or a state
grant) did a moderate amount of academic work. Paid work was generally confined to the vacation, and there
was ample time for socializing and getting involved in the extracurricular activities on offer.
But now, as perhaps never before, students are suffering from stress.
In the UK, for example, students can end up with debts of around 23,000 and find themselves working in paid
employment for 30-40 hours a week on top of their study time (TheSite.org, 2010). They are also, according to
a British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy survey, experiencing increasingly severe mental
problems, with 10 per cent of those seeking help being suicidal (TheSite.org, 2010).
In the US, an Associated Press-mtvU survey found that 85 per cent of respondents surveyed frequently
experienced stress (MacDonald, 2009). In Australia, a study at the University of Queensland (The Australian,
2008) found that half the 384 students who attended the health service also had some degree of psychological
disorder.
Nor is this a Western phenomenon. The Bollywood blockbuster, 3 Idiots described the enormous pressures on
students at India's top engineering schools, where near perfect marks are needed to succeed, and where there
is no such thing as an extension on compassionate grounds (Menardi, 2010).
And in China, some universities are setting up "psychological catharsis chambers" for students to offload their
stress. Here, they can punch things, scream or write down their concerns (Hohua, 2009).
Financially, too, students are under increasing pressure and often need to juggle paid employment with
full-time academic study.
For some students, the fees and the opportunity costs of full-time study may just be too high, and they may opt
for part-time or distance learning. For these people, it's more a matter of fitting part-time study into full-time
work, rather than the other way around, so again there are huge time pressures.
Accommodation may also be a problem: finding it, and affording it. In Australia, for example, The Sydney
Morning Herald reported (Gilmore, 2010) that such was the increase in the student population, two-thirds of
university students were suffering from "rent stress", which is defined by the Australian federal government as
rent exceeding 30 per cent of a person's gross income.
For many students, living at home may be the only option, but this may bring its own problems if there isn't
access to a quiet place to study, or to a computer, or to the Internet.
Women in particular may face problems due to their caring responsibilities, which they have to fit in around
academic work.
International students may not only face all the pressures of home students, but also those associated with
trying to cope in a different culture, speak a foreign language and navigate their way through an unfamiliar
educational system (Misra and Castillo, 2004; p. 15).
And stress may also come from those upon whom we usually rely, such as family. For example, the pressure
which comes from high parental expectations.
increased muscle tension which in turn leads to headaches, dizziness, insomnia, a feeling of
"butterflies" in the stomach, and sweating.
negative thoughts.
People can also become irritable, withdrawn, less sociable, prone to panic attacks, self-doubting, angry and
impatient.
People respond differently to stress. The high-flying business person or politician who travels widely and puts in
15-hour days may thrive on stress. Equally another person might find even a small additional task difficult to
cope with and become distressed.
What are the signs and symptoms of excessive stress?
How do you know if you or one of your friends is suffering from distress? Here are some signs:
somatic symptoms, such as frequent headaches, or colds and other minor illnesses, muscle ache;
spending a lot of time on study to the exclusion of one's social life, forgetting how to enjoy oneself;
working long hours, but never feeling that you are on top of things; and
Avoid too many fast foods, and eat as much wholefood as you can grains, fruit, vegetables,
unprocessed meat and fish. These contain the necessary vitamins to help you deal with stress.
Avoid too much sugar and caffeine these substances give you a short-term high, after which your
energy levels drop again.
Keep your blood sugar levels steady by eating small, frequent meals.
Have plenty of healthy snacks available, for example fruit, crunchy vegetables, nuts and raisins.
Carbohydrates (bread, cereals, rice, pasta, etc.) are good when you are going to exercise, but protein
foods (beans, lentils, dairy products, meat, fish, poultry and soy products such as tofu) are better for
long periods of sedentary study.
Cultivate an attitude of relaxation: there are some simple exercises you can do to help you feel less stressed.
Practise them on a regular basis and also whenever you experience heightened tension. If you are seeing a
counsellor, he or she will be able to offer you more detailed advice.
Deep breathing is one of the best ways of relaxing: breathe slowly and evenly through your nose and from your
abdomen. You should feel your stomach rising.
Some people find meditation techniques helpful; you can also try visualization, where you imagine a very
peaceful scene, perhaps somewhere where you have been on holiday.
If your muscles are tense, try standing up and stretching. If you are in a public place, you may just want to
tense your muscles, hold and then release.
2. Be as organized as possible
You can also help yourself by being as organized as possible with your money, your time and your goals.
Our study skill: "Getting organized" contains lots of useful advice. Note in particular the advice about not just
putting deadline dates for assignments in your diary, but also blocking out time for preparation. Also be aware
of the importance of "to do" lists as an organizational tool you are less likely to be distracted by an item, and
more likely to get it done, if you have created a written reminder.
Above all, don't leave things until the last minute. This is a sure recipe for stress.
3. Take control of your finances
Finance is another source of stress for students, and too large a topic to be gone into here in any depth.
However, here are some general pointers:
Make sure that you are getting all the help you can. For instance, banks often have special packages
for students, and if you have a student accommodation office, they may point you in the direction of
affordable housing. Your student union may also offer advice.
Set long-term (this year or semester) and short-term (this day or week) goals. Prioritize your tasks and
activities and focus on the things that will help you achieve them.
extra money, but not at the expense of stressing you out. Can you drop a class? Also learn that it's fine, in
some circumstances, to say "No".
Make sure you have a good support network, through family and friends. At the same time, some relationships
can be destructive, and if you are having a relationship with someone that causes you stress, then it is time to
reassess. In a healthy relationship, you should feel able to be yourself, have fun, communicate, and handle
conflict well.
Spend some time alone every day. You could go for a walk, write a journal, meditate, or just spend time
enjoying nature.
Express the way you feel talk to a counsellor, a health professional, a colleague, a fellow student, or a tutor.
Communication is important.
Never underestimate the power of humour try and have a good laugh. Laughter can be the best medicine!
Maintain a balance between study and relaxation. If you have too many non-study activities, these will
encroach on your academic work, but it is important that they are there and you have time for relaxation. If you
are always feeling guilty about not working when you aren't studying, then you will not relax properly. The
following guidelines were issued by the Counselling Service of the University of Adelaide (University of
Adelaide, 2010):
for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an
ambulance. It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.
'If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the
burden becoming increasingly heavier. What you have to do is to put the glass down, and
rest for a while before holding it up again.' We have to put down the burden periodically, so
that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. When you return home from work, put the
burden of work down. Don't carry it into your home. You can pick it up tomorrow."
Know when to put down that glass, and university can still be one of the best times of your life.
References
Gilmore, H. (2010), "University students squeezed by rent stress, study finds", Sydney Morning Herald, 22
April.
Hohua, T. (2009), "Chinese universities provide 'catharsis chambers' for stress release", The Epoch Times, 6
October, available at: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/23475/ [accessed 17 June 2010].
MacDonald, B. (2009), "College students report stress and depression", Family Anatomy, available at:
http://www.familyanatomy.com/2009/05/22/college-students-report-stress-and-depression/ [accessed 17 June
2010].
Menardi, R. (2010), "Student stress in India: 3 Idiots shows hard truths about career paths", Politics Daily,
available at: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/04/30/student-stress-in-india-3-idiots-shows-hard-truths-aboutcare/ [accessed 17 July 2010].
Misra, R. and Castillo, L. (2004), "Academic stress among college students: comparison of American and
international students", International Journal of Stress Management, Vol. 11 No. 2, May, pp. 132-148.
The Australian (2008), "Students face stress alone", The Australian, 1 April, available at:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/students-face-stress-alone/story-e6frg6nf-1111115945967
[accessed 14 June 2010].
TheSite.org (2010), "Student stress", at TheSite.org, published by Youthnet UK, available at:
http://www.thesite.org/workandstudy/studying/studentlife/studentstress [accessed 17 June 2010].
University of Adelaide (2010), "Managing stress and being a successful student", University of Adelaide
Counselling Service, available at:
https://www.adelaide.edu.au/counselling_centre/resources/brochures/lifestyle.html [accessed 16 June 2010].