You don’t have to be a scientist to see the result of stress in students this time of the year.  Even when compared to the fall semester, the spring semester seems to demand so much more out of students.  These demands may push even the strongest, hardworking students to stressing out.

Recently, I have been experiencing this stress myself.  While I rarely let stress get to me, this past week, I found myself in my manager’s office begging her to give me time off of work so I can complete my many projects and study for all my exams for the week.

She was very understanding, but getting those days off of work didn’t relieve the overwhelming anxious feeling that had become constant for the past couple of days.

I still was feeling the pressure of the deadlines, two exams and one project due on Thursday with an article due a few days prior, and no amount of time off of work would change how fast everything was approaching.

I was overwhelmed with the idea that I had so much researching, writing, photographing and studying to do in only a few days.

The stress has definitely been affecting me.  My concentration, while it is supposed to be better, is worse.  I find I am more distracted when trying to stay focused.  I forget to eat sometimes because moving on to the next task doesn’t give me enough time to think about how hungry I am.  I feel that I am more irritable.  Overall, I don’t like me when I’m stressed out.

A close friend of mine recently took time off of school because on top of the stress from the end of the semester, relationship and family problems took her to the point of not being able to sit in a class.  However, upon returning only one week later, she found herself with a pile of work that she wouldn’t be able to catch up on.

My co-worker recently had to take a leave from school because her classes mixed with friendship drama became too much to handle and brought on several panic attacks.

College is becoming exceedingly harder to complete.  My co-worker is going to have to complete this whole semester again, putting her behind, which will most likely create more stress in the future.  My friend will not be able to complete her make-up work without falling behind. For all the other people experiencing stress, it is just the beginning. Those who stay in school will endure it for the rest of the semester and those who take time off will have a repeat of it in the future.

The stress of college is like a cul-de-sac, it just keeps going around and around.

College shouldn’t be this way.  It should be a place to succeed, not a place that makes it next to impossible to get by without shedding tears and experiencing a couple panic attacks along the way.

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