Let’s be honest, as colligates, stress is just a part of daily existence. With work, school, extracurricular activities, and a social life today’s college students are busier than ever, and under a great deal of stress to perform in an increasingly competitive environment. While being busy is something every college student understands, there is a strange, frantic culture around college campuses that makes you strive to be busier, and feel guilty if you are not “doing enough”.
The stress of class has long been a source of bonding between colligates, but unfortunately, the caffeine-induced bonding of late night or early morning study sessions can quickly turn into a race to the bottom that can affect both mental and physical health. We all know the spiraling nature of competitive stress, it may start with a single person complaining about a large project, paper, or exam, but can end in a strange competition to see who has the most right to be stressed. Who has had the least amount of sleep? Who has consumed the most caffeine? Who has studied for the largest number of hours straight? These conversations are unhelpful at best, and at worst, feed into the unhealthy idea that a student’s worth can be measured by how miserable they can make themselves without going crazy. But how did we get to this point? Why is it that colligates, and college women, in particular, are pushed to value doing more over mental health maintenance?
In general, the answer to these questions can be traced to the increased speed at which we live our lives caused by the advancement of technology. While the increasing complexity of technology has allowed us to become more efficient in our work, this increased efficiency has also made it possible for work to follow us in a way that was not possible in the past. Emails and other forms of electronic messaging mean that work and school follow us around constantly; there is always an email that needs an immediate response, whether or not you are technically on the clock.
For women, the pressure of doing more can also be traced to society’s demands of perfection, and perfection for a professional woman means doing it all, and being a “Super Mom”. The fabled “Super Mom” works full time in a professional position before going home to work the second, unpaid shift of domestic and household duties. After she has completed these tasks, the “Super Mom” somehow still has the time and energy to be a nurturing partner and mother who is heavily involved in her children’s extracurricular activities, all while remaining healthy and happy. This expectation is insane. A woman’s worth should not depend on the number of activities she can fit into a twenty-four-hour period, especially when doing so is detrimental to her mental/physical well-being.
The “Super Mom” mentality begins in high school, but is reinforced through the competitive stress of college.” While colligates and professionals will always be busy, and sometimes under a great amount of stress, we as a society need to acknowledge the fact that it is possible to work hard and be successful without putting both your mental and physical health at risk. College may be challenging, but it is also supposed to be one of the greatest times in your life to discover new ideas, hobbies, and friends; don’t feel you have to do it all and miss out on some of the greatest moments of your college career. Challenge yourself to enjoy your college career!