Stress In College

Im never going to be able to go to sleep

Stress is something everyone will experience sometime in their life. It seems like everyone around me is stressing out over deadlines that need to be meet while trying to balance having a part-time job and being a full-time student. According to the 2015 National College Health Assessment, 30% of students reported that stress had negatively affected their academic performance within the past year, and over 85% had felt overwhelmed by everything they had to do at some point within the past year. In this post I will describe four things freshman stress over and how they overcame it. 

1) GPA 

This is the most talked about topic on campus. Every student dreams of having a GPA of 4.0 because this will make their parents very proud when they go home for winter break. This will allow for endless bragging on social media. But a GPA of a 4.0 is not realistic for the average student. This is something that one must work very hard for. The first semester I was shy of .02 points from having a GPA that qualified me for making the deans list. I then thought about my sleep deprivation where I spent hours studying and how I typed long papers and tried my best to alway be on top. I feel as I am always competing with myself to be a better. If I received a 95 on an English paper I wanted to know what I did wrong and what can I do in the future. I know I can be hard on myself at times but .02 points more would have been lovely so I could have been recognized for my academic accomplishments. I think students like myself are thinking so much about a grade and not enough about if they are absorbing the information. With my gpa I have learned not  to let it define who I am. I am more that the number on my transcript. I am an intelligent young woman that is hungry for knowledge and wishing to be the best nurse one day. 

2) How to get through Midterm Week 

 Lisseth Naranjo, a freshman nursing student said midterm week was the most stressful week. It was her first time taking midterms and she was overwhelmed with all the material she needed to memorize for her science courses. Naranjo stated "I found myself staying up longer than usual because I wanted to make sure I knew everything I learned during the semester." I then asked her how did she study and she stated she looked over her notes little by little so it would be easier to relearn the information. But even though she made efforts to study little by little she found herself having to go over the material numerous times so she had a full understanding. For Naranjo's Anatomy lab her professor did not provide the class with detailed instruction on how to prepare for the practical exam. She was afraid of the unknown. She was not sure what information she would be tested on and that made her stress out by staying up longer than normal. The director of the Growth and Purpose for Students program at Belmont University, David Sneed, said that for many students, “it’s the unknown” that brings stress to their lives.

3) How to manage your time 

Another reason students are stressed in college is because of not being prepared in high school. Jennifer Moran a freshman student said she does not believe her teachers helped her get the skills she needed to be successful. Throughout her first semester she had to learn the significance of time-management. She needed to balance studying, sleeping and socializing with other students on campus. She stated that she found herself cramming for exams and when she reflected on what she did for the week and said she spent a lot of time napping as well as hanging with friends. She underestimated how much time she needed to dedicate to her studies. She developed a schedule that would utilize her weekends to begin assignments due for the upcoming week. She purchased a planner that she would record exams, her designated study days. This enabled her to get everything done quicker which allowed her to go to sleep at a reasonable time as well as plan exciting and fun filled weekends with her friends. Jennifer Moran is just one student that learned the significance of time management. 

4) How to register for classes 

Registration is a very stressful week in college because you want to have the perfect schedule which enables you to have the easiest teacher so you can have an A. This is what students always look for when making their schedule. When I made my schedule I used RateMyProfessor.com to see what students said about these professors when they took one of their classes. These evaluations including a rating on a scale from 1-5 which describes the teachers teaching techniques, work load and grading. The website states its mission is  "To inform college students, by college students. Choosing the best courses and professors is a rite of passage for every student, and connecting with peers on the site has become a key way for millions of students to navigate this process. The site does what students have been doing forever - checking in with each other – their friends, their brothers, their sisters, their classmates – to figure out who's a great professor and who's one you might want to avoid." After making the perfect schedule you will wait for your day and time. Fortunately  my registration date was the second day of registration week. When I opened up Pace portal on Tuesday April 19, 2016 I was eager to not have night classes and Fridays off. But unfortunately my original schedule and  the back up schedules I had prepared to enter were full. My roommate Kendra Dawson a freshman nursing student has her registration Wednesday April 20th, 2016. Her odds of getting all the classes she wants is slimmer than the chances I had. She stressed out and had to change her original schedule four times. During her schedule time, I watched as she swiftly keyed in the CRN (course numbers). Once she pressed I agree at the bottom of the web page for the fourth time she was finally finished with registration. Her schedule is packed with classes back to back with professors that are unknown. This will be a challenge for her next semester but I believe she will continue to do great things.  

There are many factors that affect students daily life. This can get them overwhelmed and cause stress which can affect academic success. Luckily the students I interviewed were able to find ways to turn something bad into something good and manageable. I have even learned a thing or two from these individuals and I am glad that I will be able to spread there knowledge with you. 
















Works Cited
http://college.usatoday.com/2015/10/29/college-student-stress/
Kendra Dawson, personal interview, 11 April 2016
Jennifer Moran, personal interview, 13, April 2016 
Lisseth Naranjo, personal interview, 13, April 2016 
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/About.jsp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYdLlUVd8C0

Sex ??

Sex on a College Campus

Lets talk about sex.. This is something everyone is talking about but is this something everyone is doing ??

I surveyed 40 studnets in the cafeteria on March 31st what comes to mind when you think about sex on campus. 83% said that everyone is partaking in this activity. I then asked these students how do they know and the majority said its the "college lifestyle." I then thought about the stereotypical college experience you see on television and in movies. Students change their physical appearance and even personality to fit in with the status quo. They even participate in risky behavior including taking drugs and consuming alcohol, which leads to sex. The movie "The To Do List" is a movie set in 1993 where a high school graduate tries to get rid of her good girl image by losing her virginity so she can fit in before going to college in September. This is one movie about the stereotypes these students are aware and believe to be true. 

I asked students how do they meet people to hookup with. A freshman student said within the first week of school you know how to get to your classes, where all the parties are, who the cutest guys are on the football team and how to hookup with a complete stranger because of the app "Yik Yak."
A freshman female stated she believes this is a scary way to meet someone because the app is completely anymous and you never know what your "signing up for". After someone comments under a persons sex request shortly after someone posts their "Kik" name which is a texting app. This is usually a short conversation and leads to the two hanging out and participating in drinking alcohol. On the Pace University website it states  "Inappropriate use and abuse of alcohol is often associated with lower academic performance and failures, sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies, vandalism, aggressive behaviors including sexual assault and rape, injuries, death, and prosecution for crimes related to the consumption of alcohol" You never want to get drunk with a stranger, one reason is because you never know their intentions. STDs are a major thing especially on college campuses.

STI's/ STD's 

I know you are probably wondering what are STIs/STDs and how can I prevent myself from coming in contact with one. According to American Sexual Health Association sexually transmitted infections/ diseases, or STI/STD affect people of all ages and backgrounds. In the U.S. there are approximately 20 million new cases each year, about half of which occur among youth ages 15-24 years. This is between the years an individual is enrolled in college. Diseases that are spread through sexual contact are usually referred to as sexually transmitted diseases or STDs for short. However in recent years experts in  public health have suggested replacing STD with a new term—sexually transmitted infection, or STI. Sexually transmitted viruses or bacteria can be described as creating an “infection,” which may or may not result in “disease.” This is true for a few STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and human papilloma virus (HPV) they are all curable, Not all STI's are curable therefore you should ALWAYS use a condom. 

Importance of Condoms

 A freshman female said she was afraid to live on campus because of shows and news articled that come out everyday about STDs on the rise. The safest way to protect yourself is not to participate in this behavior. But as young adults with ranging hormones it might be hard to resist.  Therefore if you do partake in this activity you should use a condom. 
As one male student bought a pack of Trojan condoms I asked him why he bought them. He instantly laughed and said "I have to protect my ting, you can't trust these h*es."I laughed and thought this is a great mentality to have. According to Huffington Post, the condom maker Trojan ranks 140 colleges and universities to see what schools promote safe sex. (Svokos) Pace University was not listed in the 10 step but recently they have made efforts to promote safe sex for the LGBT community. There was a safe sex event where condoms were distributed and vibrators were raffled off. This was one initiative for the university to educate their students about protection as well as sex awareness. Another way Pace promotes sex awareness is by taking trips to the Museum of Sex in NYC for a small fee of $5. The mission of the Museum of Sex is to preserve and present the history, evolution and cultural significance of human sexuality. With each exhibition, the museum addresses a wide range of topics, while simultaneously highlighting material and artifacts from different cultures, time periods and media.




A sophomore female stated she hooked up with a random guy on campus and had an STI scare. Thankfully she only had a UTI but she said at the time she was scared and didn't know what to do. Her roommate informed her that she should go to the health center on campus. The Health Center on campus is a service that is included in your bill so when you visit there is no charge. This is an amenity that is great not just because of her situation but those days that you are not feeling well and need to be prescribed a medication. 

Sex Awareness

One male student said he does not use condoms because he finds it less pleasurable. When asked if he knows the risks of having unprotected sex he stated "That could not be me." This is a statement that everyone seems to think. But why do people feel they are exempt and have fewer risks? This is actually unknown why some people think they have less chances of  transmitted a disease sexually. But I think one reason is because if you have sex with someone you love you respect or trust to will care less to wrap it up. You have to go into every situation not having a bias on people and think of everyone as dirty. This is similarly to what nursing students are told in clinicals, "every body fluid that you come in contact with you should be prepared and care for it with precaution." Condom availability in places of need around the world is increasing significantly, with 25.8 million female condoms provided through international and nongovernmental funding sources in 2009. Condom distribution increased by 10 million between 2008 and 2009. On campus students are allowed to purchase condoms in Miller Mart (an eating option in the building there are classes) with your meal plan. There are always condoms available an`d people seem to actually buy them for their own use.

Works Cited 
Dobbs, Kori Sex Survey, March 31st 2016
Female, personal interview, 31 March 2016
Male, personal interview, 31 March 2016
http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/stdsstis/ 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/20/sexual-health-report-card-2014_n_5985520.html
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/ten-little-known-facts-about-condoms-planned-parenthood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKGigK17eSs