Stressed to Impress?

When looking back at this semester, only one word comes to mind-stress. Stress from work, stress from classes, and stresses to keep my sanity. As it finally draws to a close, I can't help but be grateful for the chance to have a break and just breath. I also can't help but feel victorious in the fact that I survived what I will probably deem as the most stressful time of my life. 

However, it's no secret that college students these days are stressful, which results in anxiety and other mental health problems. Most of my friends, including myself, work multiple jobs. They also go to school full-time, and some even have an internship. This results in many burning out, anxiety levels sky rocketing through the roof, as well as anxiety's effects. According to an article on the New York Times Blog Anxious Students Strain College Mental Health Centers, anxiety now surpasses depression as being the most common mental disorder diagnosis. The article then goes on to say that one in six college students are diagnosed with anxiety in the last year. And with college students like myself loading more and more on their plate, it's easy to see where the ultimate source of stress is. 

In college, the bar is raised and expectations are high. We have to go to class to get a degree, and do the work to getting  passing grade. But in some majors, you need experience. For many this is an internship. Then, we need money to pay bills such as car insurance, and just to have money in general, so then add a part time job. And some college students with outstanding bills often result in working an extra job. Sound like a lot? I haven't factored in sleep, food time, and of course time to just to relax. Bottom line-college is stressful. The question is why is it so?

The answer is that we are out to impress, since we are about to enter a job market that's competitive. So, we pile on jobs, internships, pretty much anything to stand out. And this creates a block of pressure, which can cause the back to break if one isn't careful. 

There's only so many hours in a day a person could keep pushing themselves for it to remain healthy. Everyone needs to realize that they can't keep going at a rapid pace, and not have an effect on themselves. While it's important to have experience, get good grades, and have money, it's also important that we take time for ourselves. Watch Netflix, read a magazine, and just do nothing. When we are programmed to be constantly busy, it can be a weird change. However, it's something that I think is crucial, especially when we are piling everything on ourselves. After all, that's the one thing that can help combat stress.