Speaking from the perspective of a senior college student at the University of Richmond, stress seems to be a normal part of life. Like eating, sleeping, and studying, it's just "one of those things" that is part of the regular collegiate mantra. In fact, if you're not stressed there might be something wrong with you. That's a normal point of view, right?

Sometimes it seems questionable whether or not such high levels of stress are actually normal for college students outside of the University of Richmond: are all college students as stressed out as the prototypical U of R student? Perhaps there is something about the culture at Richmond that pushes students further towards perfection? Students are stressed out for myriad reasons: they don't have three majors, or the perfect body, or the best friends, or the perfect wardrobe.

While it may be true that U of R students are more stressed out than the "Average Joe" or "Average Josephine" at "Average U," there is lots of evidence that stress is an evil that pervades college campuses everywhere.

Stress: Perceptions and Identities

The way that students perceive stress also effects their ability to perform. In her literature review, Lauri Dusselier found that students' ability to deal with stress had more bearing on their grades than did SAT scores. Those students who internalized their stress, perceiving themselves as responsible for the situation, were more likely to score higher marks than those who blamed the situation. Using this finding, Dusselier figures that feeling compelled by the power of the situation might lead to lower grades. She also found that students taking more credit hours are more stressed than those with less rigorous academic schedules, supporting what seems to be common sense. Perhaps this exacerbates the power of the situation; she quotes several students as feeling like victims of their school work, stressed because they had “loads of school work, all due around the same time, or the same day.” Sounds like finals week at UR?

In Dusselier's study, she observed that woman are often more stressed that men, which does not come as a surprise considering previous research that support the idea that women often put more pressure on themselves to perform. US citizens also seem to be more stressed out than students from other countries: international students have already experienced much higher stress levels by living in a different country away from family; Dusselier argues that this makes international students more adaptable than their American counterparts. In her study, however, she does not take into account those American students who may have been international students at universities in other countries, placing them in a similar situation to the international students in her study.

Goal-Setting and Stress

Research completed at the University of Crete examined things such as "mastery goal avoidance" and goal "orientation" and "failure."

Death from Stress:

Research suggests that stress leads to shorter lifespan. This comes as a bit of cheery news. If you are stressed out cheer up because it will all be over soon enough.

Stress Facts Video



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References

Ciarrochi, J., Said, T., & Deane, F. (2005, May). When simplifying life is not so bad: The link between rigidity, stressful life events, and mental health in an undergraduate population. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 33(2), 185-197. Retrieved October 24, 2008.

Dusselier, L., Dunn, B., Wang, Y., Shelley, M., & Whalen, D. (2005, July). Personal, Health, Academic, and Environmental Predictors of Stress for Residence Hall Students. Journal of American College Health, 54(1), 15-24. Retrieved December 3, 2008.

Sideridis, G. (2008, February). The regulation of affect, anxiety, and stressful arousal from adopting mastery-avoidance goal orientations. Stress and Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 24(1), 55-69. Retrieved October 24, 2008.