This past week, there has been a lot of focus on the Flu. Everyone on campus either seems to have it or is avidly trying to avoid it. It feels like half the school is taking Tamiflu, and judging by the CVS employees that are wearing the drug’s bar code taped to their hand for easy access, that percentage seems about accurate. There were even rumors that if enough cases were diagnosed, classes would be canceled for a few days to stop the illness’ spread.
Unfortunately, there is another epidemic lurking on campus, and this one is much more widespread and enduring than the flu.
Stress is an almost integral part of Davidson, on par with the Honor Code and Union quesadillas. Because of this pervasiveness, it’s a problem that the community as a whole has grown too complacent of.
In a recent club meeting I attended, members were asked to go around and say their name and how they were feeling that night. More than half the club admitted to feeling overworked, stressed, and tired. These dark emotions are not ones that people open up to about, especially in a room full of near-strangers, if they’re not a permeating part of themselves and the environment.
It’s not uncommon to hear people casually say “there’s no way I have time to eat lunch – I have too much work.” Or, “I’ll be in the library for the next 8 hours if anyone needs me.” Most Davidson students have figured out that it’s not realistic to expect to finish all your homework, and the real way to be successful here is to learn to pick and choose which work you prioritize. And maybe if you’re lucky you’ll have time to squeeze in some meals, extracurriculars, and friendships.
This culture of intense and constant stress, often to the level of choosing between homework and basic daily activities like eating and sleeping, has become such an ever-present issue in our lives that we have completely succumbed to it. We embrace it by bragging about how little sleep we got, or writing quirky articles like “50 Ways to Destress” even though how could I, the author of that article, expect anyone to have the time to read that article, let alone try some of the things I listed, when I barely had time to write it?
The epidemic of stress on this campus detracts from many aspects of student life. It leads to low attendance at club meetings and guest speaker events. It’s not uncommon for students to bring homework to activities like sporting games and panel discussions, or for students to leave these things early because it’s either that or pull an all-nighter to get work done. “We understand, you’re all Davidson students, you’re too busy” often vindicates us from these behaviors that would elsewhere be unacceptable.
Davidson stress culture also creates an automatic feeling of guilt if you ever become less stressed. To spend an afternoon without doing homework makes us feel lazy and anxiously behind everyone else. Relaxing is the greatest way to alleviate stress, yet relaxation makes a Davidson student’s stomach churn.
The effects of stress are physically manifested, as well. It may even be partly to blame for the recent flu outbreak. Stress weakens the immune system, and the fear of missing class presses many contagious students to go no matter how they’re feeling.
But what if instead of making the social and somatic consequences of a crippling workload acceptable and normal, we made the crippling workload itself unacceptable? Just because we are students at an esteemed, competitive, private liberal arts college does not mean we have to be overworked. Yes, this would be a drastic change. Yes, it would take time. And yes, it would require a top-down concentrated effort. But wouldn’t this be worth it if we could cure Davidson students of this epidemic?
There’s no obvious solution to this problem that I can suggest. But as with most issues, the first step is to create a dialogue. As the saying goes: “act or accept.”
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