Examining Stress in Collegiate Students

A little stressed here... I'm currently a junior and starting to think about how my college workload might compare to my high school one. So, just out of curiosity, which group of college students is generally most impacted by stress and why? Is it more common in certain majors or year groups?

Stress in college can span across all year groups and majors, but some demographics may feel it more intensely due to various factors.

Firstly, incoming college freshmen often report high levels of stress. This is usually attributed to the major lifestyle changes these students undergo when transitioning from high school to college. They're moving into a completely new environment, away from their support system, and they have to manage their classes, social lives, and other responsibilities all by themselves, for the first time. It’s also their first time dealing with college-level coursework, which tends to be more challenging and necessitates a higher level of time management and study skills than many students are used to.

Another group that often experiences high levels of stress are seniors. This is because they typically are dealing with the pressures of choosing a career path, applying to jobs or graduate schools, and facing the societal expectations and realities of 'adulting' after graduation.

As to fields of study, it's been found that students in rigorous, pre-professional majors like medicine, law, and engineering often have higher stress levels due to the workload, competitive nature of the field, and high performance standards. Of course, this can vary substantially from individual to individual and university to university.

Another factor to consider is financial status. Students with high levels of financial strain - whether due to working long hours to pay for college, taking out large loans, or worrying about money for other reasons - often report high levels of stress.

However, it's important to remember that everyone's experience differs. The factors above are simply commonalities that have been observed, but your stress level may be dictated more by your personal coping mechanisms, support systems, mindset, and strategies for handling your workload than by your year or major. Just remember, colleges generally offer numerous resources to help you manage stress, ranging from counseling centers to peer mentorship programs, so make sure to take advantage of these offerings if you ever need assistance.