Calendar of Student Stress

Larson and Lars (NASPA)

September

• Homesickness; especially for 1^st years
• Values crisis; Students are confronted with questions of conscience over value conflict areas of race, drugs, and alcohol experimentation, morality, religion and social expectations
• Feelings of inadequacy and inferiority develop because of the discrepancy between high school status and grades and initial college performance.
• “In Loco Parentis Blues” Students feel depressed because of real or perceived policies and regulations of the college.
• Foreign Students sense confusion, vulnerability and lack of any advocate in power positions

October

• 1^st years begin to realize that life at college is not as perfect as they were led to believe by parents, teachers and counselors.  Old problems seem to continue and new ones are added.  An external reality they had put their hopes in has failed them.
• Grief develops because of inadequate skills for finding a group or not being selected by one.
• Mid term work load pressures are followed by feelings of failure and loss of self esteem.
• Pregnancies from summer relationships begin to show.  Dilemma of what to do
• Sexual conflicts and confusion result when confronting for the first time, different hetero-sexual standards and homosexuality.
• Non dating students sense a loss of self esteem because so much value is placed on dates.  For women who do date, the pressure to perform sexually increases and the consequently increase feelings of rejection, loneliness and guilt can lead to unwanted pregnancies.
• Job panic for mid year graduates. 

November

• Academic pressure is beginning to mount because of procrastination, difficulty of work and lack of ability.
• Depression and anxiety increase because of feelings that one should have adjusted to the college environment by now. 
• Homecoming blues develop because of no date and/ or lack of ability to participate in activities. 
• Economic anxiety: funds from parents and summer earnings begin to run out; loans become due.
• Some students have ceased to make attempts at establishing new friendships beyond two or three parasitic relationships.

December

• Extracurricular time strain – Seasonal parties, concerts, social service projects, religious drain student energies. 
• Anxiety, fear and guilt increase as final examinations approach and papers are due.
• Pre- Christmas depression- especially for those who have concerns for family.  Those who have no home to visit, and for those who prefer not to go home because of family conflicts.
• Financial strain because of Christmas gifts and travel costs.
• Pressure increases to perform sexually because of the approach of vacation and extended separation.

January

• Post Christmas depression at again being away from home security and positive strokes.
• The diversity and uniqueness of short term classes and non-traditional experiences help to make this month less despairing than others.

February

• Many students experience optimism because second semester is perceived as going “downhill”
• Vocational choice causes anxiety and depression.
• Couples begin to establish stronger ties (engagements) or experience weakening of established ones.
• Depression increases for those students who have failed to establish social relationships or achieve a moderate amount of recognition.
• Social calendar is non-active.

March

• Drug and alcohol use increases
• Pregnancies from Christmas vacation begin to show.
• Depression begins due to anticipation of separation from friends and loved ones at college.
• Academic pressures increase.
• Existential crisis for seniors – Must I leave school? Is my education worth anything? Was my major a mistake? Why go on? Where is God? Why am I not making it?

April

• Academic pressures continue to increase because of mid-terms.
• Frustrations and confusion develop because of decisions necessary for pre-registration.
• Summer job pressures.
• Selections of major
• Papers and exams are piling up.
• The mounting academic pressures force some students to temporarily give up.
• Social pressure: Everybody is bidding for your participation at trips, banquets and picnics.
• Job recruitment panic.

May

• Anxiety develops because of the realization that eh year is ending and that a deficiency exists in a number of academic areas.
• Senior panic about jobs (lack of jobs) and the ability to finance oneself until the first paycheck.
• Depression over leaving friends and facing conflicts at home with parents.