Spring Break
Stress, anxiety prevalent on campus this fall
Elizabeth Ruocco
Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: News
With the economy taking a plunge, the recent assaults on campus and the always-stressful exam season underway, the mental health of many students could be declining, according to Barry Schreier, UConn's director of counseling and mental health services.
Upperclassmen may be worried about how difficult it will be to find a job due to the weakening economy and freshman may be still transitioning from high school. Students may find themselves struggling with time management and, after the recent sexual assaults, everyone is on higher alert than before. And all of these anxieties lead to the same thing - stress.
"The perception of stress is something that can exasperate to everything else," Schreier said.
As the middle of the semester approaches, students are finding themselves deep into academic work, and expectations are high.
"The overall schoolwork and difficulty level of the exams is harder than high school," said Sean Muckle, a 1st-semester acturarial science major. "It is very fast paced - the professors cover one chapter a class."
Because of the faster-paced classes, some students find themselves struggling to manage time effectively.
"I underestimated the time I needed to spend studying and I'm more stressed now because of the first exam," said Mac Jaehnert, a 1st-semester exploratory major.
Not only is the increasing workload causing stress but the recent assaults have increased awareness and concern among students as well.
"I think people are definitely trying to be more safe and more responsible about going out alone or leaving your friends," said Amanda Agostino, a 1st-semester pre-journalism major.
As far as the economy is concerned, there is no doubt it is weakening, but things may not be as bad as students think, according to UConn Assistant Director and Manager of Employer Relations Laura Newburg. Companies could be more apt to hire college graduates as opposed to middle-aged workers because they can generally be paid less.
"The economy is bleak, but this could be a good time for college graduates to find jobs, especially as the baby boomers transfer out of the work force," Newburg said.
Overall, the economy, schoolwork and transition from high school are persisting stressors among students. However, students have to find ways to cope with them so they don't affect their state of mental health and performance in their courses.
"It's important to sleep, exercise and eat regularly to create a steady and daily pattern," Schreier said. "It's like expecting your car to go forever without putting fuel in it - the car needs maintenance just like our body. Don't become too socially isolated, and stay connected to the community, because the more you plug in, the more success you will get."
Upperclassmen may be worried about how difficult it will be to find a job due to the weakening economy and freshman may be still transitioning from high school. Students may find themselves struggling with time management and, after the recent sexual assaults, everyone is on higher alert than before. And all of these anxieties lead to the same thing - stress.
"The perception of stress is something that can exasperate to everything else," Schreier said.
As the middle of the semester approaches, students are finding themselves deep into academic work, and expectations are high.
"The overall schoolwork and difficulty level of the exams is harder than high school," said Sean Muckle, a 1st-semester acturarial science major. "It is very fast paced - the professors cover one chapter a class."
Because of the faster-paced classes, some students find themselves struggling to manage time effectively.
"I underestimated the time I needed to spend studying and I'm more stressed now because of the first exam," said Mac Jaehnert, a 1st-semester exploratory major.
Not only is the increasing workload causing stress but the recent assaults have increased awareness and concern among students as well.
"I think people are definitely trying to be more safe and more responsible about going out alone or leaving your friends," said Amanda Agostino, a 1st-semester pre-journalism major.
As far as the economy is concerned, there is no doubt it is weakening, but things may not be as bad as students think, according to UConn Assistant Director and Manager of Employer Relations Laura Newburg. Companies could be more apt to hire college graduates as opposed to middle-aged workers because they can generally be paid less.
"The economy is bleak, but this could be a good time for college graduates to find jobs, especially as the baby boomers transfer out of the work force," Newburg said.
Overall, the economy, schoolwork and transition from high school are persisting stressors among students. However, students have to find ways to cope with them so they don't affect their state of mental health and performance in their courses.
"It's important to sleep, exercise and eat regularly to create a steady and daily pattern," Schreier said. "It's like expecting your car to go forever without putting fuel in it - the car needs maintenance just like our body. Don't become too socially isolated, and stay connected to the community, because the more you plug in, the more success you will get."
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