As the semester starts to come to an end in difficulty (a.k.a finals season), I think it is important for us to come back to reflect on the culture that has cultivated surrounding academic stress, especially over the past decade. According to the American Psychological Association, people have reported to have experienced an approximate 44% rise in stress levels over the past five years. Even more alarmingly, according to Psychology Today, the average high school student has the same stress levels as the average psychiatric patient in the 1950s. This is likely caused by rising competition to get admission to institutions, as well as anxiety triggered by social media and other new media advances. This is somewhat terrifying when we look at the correlation stress has with deleterious diseases. Taking this into consideration, it is somewhat concerning to see that instead of preventing the amount of stress that is inundating students, institutions think it is beneficial to harp on the idea of stress management. While stress management is important, it is upsetting that people as young as middle schoolers should have such a high amount of stress that it needs specific management. I recently saw a social media post about a high school that had installed several “cry closets” around the school. Although it is normal for adolescents to be emotional, there is no reason for a place where they spend the majority of their time to be so stress-evoking that they need to have cry closets installed. Many students are also concerned by the fact that schools push them to their limits in regards to workload, while also telling them to take time for themselves. There are only so many hours in a day, and it is difficult for the average student, (who is forced to be “well-rounded”) who is juggling several clubs, sports, academics, social life, sleep, and more to fit in time for self-care. After learning about the shocking statistics that surround stress in the average person today, I think we must push for change in the system in this ever-advancing world. Some institutions are taking the initiative, and making changes such as implementing a four-day work week system. Microsoft in Japan tested this, and found that employees were 20% more productive, and much happier. This study clearly shows that making changes like this can help not only greatly reduce populational stress, but also increase efficiency in institutions. Hopefully, more changes are pushed for in the future to ultimately banish the stigma that stress is necessary for success.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Siena chapter.