College: A Breeding Ground for Stress?

Cessie Ryder

For freshman, college is a place with all new things to be stressed out about because of the totally new environment it encompasses. Having a certain amount of stress can be good for you but chronic stress can affect you negatively. College freshman are thrown into coping with a completely different and more complicated academic schedule than high school along with a new social environment and all new people they have to meet and adjust to. Both of these aspects of college can cause freshman stress.

There are two types of stress, Eustress and Distress. Eustress is positive stress that challenges and motivates you to grow and perform well. Distress is negative stress that depletes energy and causes a decline in performance. Everybody needs some Eustress in their lives for the stimulation to be active, but Distress, on the other hand, is the kind of stress that we do not necessarily need or want. College students experience both types of stress.

Adjusting to a new environment, like college, can be a stressful experience, but this type of stress is good for you and creates positive results. In college you are away from your parents and have to learn to be independent when it comes to laundry, meals, time management, and other responsibilities. You now have to make decisions for yourself and hope they are the good, right decisions. Being on your own for the first time can be stressful, but it is a kind of Eustress that makes you a stronger, more self-sufficient person.

Not only do college students experience Eustress when adjusting to their new surroundings, but they are also exposed to large amounts of Distress. Distress is very common in college. It is usually associated with academics and stems from procrastination and poor time management skills when it comes to studying and completing tests, homework and projects. Chronic distress is very bad for you and takes a toll on you mentally and physically. Intervention, like better time management, more sleep, exercise, and relaxation, is needed to restore the mind and body if chronic stress occurs.