Upheaval in university life: Stress Invades Students
Essay Topic : Making the transition to university life is a major source of stress
The transition to university life is moving from one community to another (Tinto, 1998), that students must leave the familiar and begin again in an unfamiliar community. Over 50 years of study, a research has established that the first year at university is highly significant, as it is the time when students are most susceptible in terms of academic, as well as to experience social, emotional, and financial problems (McInnis, 2011). This essay argues that the transition to university life is a major source of stress because students have to deal with academic, social, and the most significant factor is a financial problem, that leads to the highest level of stress that can cause student to commit suicide.
The first year, students strive to adapt and participate in the whole new level of community and cultures. Mostly, freshmen students are emotionally unstable and still in the process of development mature character. As Lave (1997) described this as ‘legitimate peripheral participation’, which means, overtime, students will practice to adapt on the new community and culture. Unfortunately, not all students have the flexible practice as determinant successful transition. Some students hardly adjust and blend into a new community, especially new students from overseas. In addition, Dr. Helen Stallman, a clinical physiologist and researcher, state the factors of stress such as academic demands, money worries, risky behaviors, increased freedom, coursework pressure, even cultural shock and social rejection.
Financial worry is the most significant factor in triggering depression at university that affect mentally, emotionally, and physically. A research by NatWest, over 40 percent of students will have to work to pay their way through university because it will be too expensive without an additional income. Students who work will have a higher degree of stress as they have to
The transition to university life is moving from one community to another (Tinto, 1998), that students must leave the familiar and begin again in an unfamiliar community. Over 50 years of study, a research has established that the first year at university is highly significant, as it is the time when students are most susceptible in terms of academic, as well as to experience social, emotional, and financial problems (McInnis, 2011). This essay argues that the transition to university life is a major source of stress because students have to deal with academic, social, and the most significant factor is a financial problem, that leads to the highest level of stress that can cause student to commit suicide.
The first year, students strive to adapt and participate in the whole new level of community and cultures. Mostly, freshmen students are emotionally unstable and still in the process of development mature character. As Lave (1997) described this as ‘legitimate peripheral participation’, which means, overtime, students will practice to adapt on the new community and culture. Unfortunately, not all students have the flexible practice as determinant successful transition. Some students hardly adjust and blend into a new community, especially new students from overseas. In addition, Dr. Helen Stallman, a clinical physiologist and researcher, state the factors of stress such as academic demands, money worries, risky behaviors, increased freedom, coursework pressure, even cultural shock and social rejection.
Financial worry is the most significant factor in triggering depression at university that affect mentally, emotionally, and physically. A research by NatWest, over 40 percent of students will have to work to pay their way through university because it will be too expensive without an additional income. Students who work will have a higher degree of stress as they have to
References: Student stress. (2009). Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.thesite.org/workandstudy/studying/studentlife/studentstress Moss, T., Pittaway, S., & McCharty, R. (n.d). The first year experience: Transition and integration into teacher education. Retrieved from http://www.aare.edu.au/06pap/mos06557.pdf Student go it alone under uni stress. (2008). Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.uq.edu.au/news/?article=14343 Moore, Wendy. (2002). Student Stress. Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites//0-9/4health/stress/syp_student.html Collins, S. J. (2010). Stress stalks uni student. Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/stress-stalks-uni-students-20101122-18467.html Student stress & depression. (n.d). Retrivied March 14, 2013, from http://www.studentsagainstdepression.org/student-issues/stress-depression/