Every person has a way to handle stress. Whether it is physical, mental, athletic, or artistic, everybody has their own way of dealing and coping with life. Another factor with stress and coping mechanisms will always be one’s responsibilities: as college students, we know all about that. For some college students, their double major, three minors, and two certificates aren’t worrying them at all. For others, their major is enough to throw them for a loop at every turn. It will forever and always depend on the person.
I decided to ask college students from different backgrounds to tell me more about their experiences. From course load to stress level to hours of studying each week, I asked UCF students to tell me more about their everyday lives surrounding this topic.
“I study about 25 hours a week, and honestly, it’s really draining,” Sylvia Scott, a music education student, said. “A lot of comparing yourself to those around you, since you’re basically being assessed on skill and talent rather than knowledge. I know a lot of us struggle with confidence since there’s such a huge gap in experience.” Other students have mentioned that they can even feel their energy depleting as the weeks go on, specifically while getting closer to midterms.
“As of recently, I study six to seven hours a week, especially during midterms. I feel that my workload can be very mentally draining, and I definitely feel my energy getting lower as the weeks go by.”
– Adriana Santiago, an elementary education major at UCF
I have been thinking about coping mechanisms throughout college for a while. I knew that I had my vices; I love to write more than anything. Whenever my thoughts are too heavy to relay, I know I’ll always have my notes app on my phone to keep me company.
I’ve had friends that I’ve told this to, and I’ve received some very interesting looks about writing being my way to decompress and handle my rapid thoughts. Especially when people get to college, there’s much to think about and even more to grasp during this time. Some students may wake up in a cold sweat thinking about internship applications, the busy day they have ahead of them, or the exam they forgot was that day.
“I didn’t get a good grade on my anatomy test, and I haven’t gotten bad grades ever, so it was a big shock and reality check for me,” Rayna Nichols, a health sciences major, said. “So, I had a moment to myself to be sad about it, talked to my family, and came up with ways to figure out how to study better. Then, I continued on and used it as a learning experience.”
We all have moments when we just need someone to talk to. It’s completely valid for people to have a hard day, especially when it comes to tests. What is really important is knowing how to balance that stress and still finding ways to feel better, choose happiness, and find your footing again.
“I handle my stress by not giving into my cravings, but maybe allowing myself an extra sweet treat, devoting more time to sleep, or simply resting and spending time on my hobbies or pampering myself to stimulate creativity and give my brain a break,” Kylee Black, a humanities and cultural studies major, said.
Luckily, universities have begun taking steps in the right direction regarding mental health. At UCF specifically, there are mental health resources provided to students in case they need someone to talk to, support, or just something to help them get into a healthy mindset. Given the immense amount of stress put on students, these resources were a necessary addition for universities. One of UCF’s services is Student Accessibility Services.
SAS actively works to create a collaborative environment between students, faculty, and staff to give access to an inclusive education on all fronts. It is very natural for students in college to begin neglecting their mental health. SAS provides an open place for students to get their emotions out, whether it is talking to someone or simply getting some time to relax.
“There’s a lot I do outside of my academics, so when my course-load becomes heavy, it’s hard for me to properly manage my time and I end up neglecting myself and my mental health,” Makaila Brown, a legal studies major who participates with SAS, said.
Some students utilize other UCF-provided resources, such as Counseling and Psychological Services. This service provides therapy to students to help with mental health management with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and even academic difficulties, relationship problems, and homesickness.
“I go to CAPS here on campus, and the big thing for me has been being able to talk to people, especially because my course load is just me socializing with people,” Elora Pfriender, a graduate student pursuing rhetoric and composition said, “I’m not so great at de-escalating in the moment, so I try to work on coping for the long term.”
College is hard and draining. No day is like the other, and some days will be a rainbow with bright sunlight and no problems. The next day, however, could be full of dread and feel like you are in the middle of a hurricane. It is essential that, throughout this difficult experience, students can find resources or coping mechanisms that make stress easier to handle.
With services provided such as SAS and CAPS, UCF has taken a step in that direction. With this, universities open the floor to students to have a shoulder to lean on, no matter how far from home they are or whatever challenges they may be facing.