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Everyone pretty much associates high levels of stress to graduate students - but is it fair to say that undergraduate students face similarly as high or even higher levels? I think so. Speaking from the experiences of an undergraduate student, I believe we face obscenely high amounts of stress for several reasons.

Firstly, we are still settling into our new, extremely competitive surroundings.  The transition from high school to university is stressful enough; now add the escalating competitive nature of our classmates into the equation. The fact that we made it here to one of the country’s most prestigious universities may have meant something in high school... But the fact that most people in your new classes are also among the top tiers in their high school, makes you suddenly feel very miniscule. Basically, the competition is cutthroat. Period.

Secondly, you’re in the process of shelling out multiples upon multiples of thousands of dollars on the next few years of your life. You’re bound to be under intense pressure to find a job that makes it all worthwhile. A dream job that makes all your hard work pay off and allows you to live happily ever after. The stress of obtaining this perfectly-ending fairy tale is enough to make my legs tremble regardless of whether or not it is feasible.

Thirdly, you need to figure out a way to stand out, while juggling everything an undergraduate student partakes in. How do you do this? This is a question I often ask myself. Here’s a small (and incomplete) list of essential tasks:

-          work extraordinarily hard – get the high GPA

-          attend any and all networking events on campus

-          get to know your professors

-          get to know your classmates (keep your friends close, your enemies closer - perhaps this quote was meant for students?)

-          get involved in the community

-          learn to write a good resume and cover letter

Now assume that you’ve completed all of these things. If you don’t get a summer job/internship related to your field of interest by second or third year, you may as well consider yourself doomed – as an academic counselor will nonchalantly tell you. Dream job flushed down the toilet.

These thoughts are not uncommon in the minds of undergraduate students. Are students under TOO much pressure? Case in point - the young man (an undergraduate student) Yale who committed suicide by jumping off the Empire State Building this March. No one can be entirely sure if this death was related to high levels of stress. But keep in mind the 6 suicides prior to this one which took place at Cornell. Both Ivy League schools.

No one is really sure what to think of this. But let’s just slow down for a second. Anyone who is reading this – stop, take a breather. Life’s good. Let’s not stress over the minor things in life and focus on the big picture!

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Comments

26 June 2010

 

Very interesting article, have also searched for that guy who jumped from the Empire State Building and is sad all the situations undergraduate and any type of student can have. Money is certainly one of the most important preoccupations a student can have when they decide to join a top university.

Here is the article: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/31/2010-03-31_man_who_leaped_to_death_from_empire_state_building_idd_as_yale_university_studen.html

Jaime Rodríguez Santiago

4 June 2010

 

Totally agree! Undergrad days are the best... you've got the rest of your life to worry about work... Although I would recommend a few internships & vacation jobs - even if just to help you figure out what you DON'T wanna do when you graduate!

Jen

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