Balancing act: How college students negotiate stress, school, and a social life

Lindsay Sylvester

The transition from high school to college comes with new freedoms, but also many new responsibilities that can quickly lead to a lot of extra stress.

Emily Rush, a College of Charleston sophomore, never realized how much time the little things her parents did for her actually saved, until she had to do them all herself in college. 

“Living on my own and handling tasks I didn’t even think about thanks to my parents had added a lot of extra stress,” she said.

Rush isn’t alone as many students struggle to balance academics, social life, and sometimes even a job, making burnout a common result. 

“Towards the end/middle of each semester I get stressed out with exams and heavier loads of homework assignments,” Rush said. 

The pressure to maintain a strong GPA also adds to this stress. 

“I have to maintain a 3.4 GPA to stay in the CofC Honors College and I need to have a GPA that is on the upper end of my peers to compete for a spot in grad school,” CofC freshman Emalee Norris said. 

Richard Wilz, who is a graduate student at Vanderbilt, feels the same pressures.

“I do feel pressure to maintain my good GPA because it’s critical for getting a good job in my field,” he said. 

For many students, social life is a relief, but for others, it's another source of stress.

“Balancing the social scene with the rest of tasks and things in the days can get to be overwhelming if I don’t focus on balancing it and making sure I am taking time to prioritize my own needs,” Rush said.

While some students thrive socially in college, others find it difficult to maintain friendships while dealing with academic and extracurricular responsibilities. 

“My son, it’s very difficult for him, but I try to explain to him that school comes first,” said Lisa Schroeder, the mother of a CofC junior.

Despite these challenges, some students feel a sense of relief compared to the social pressures of high school.

“In college, there is such a relief,” Norris said, “You meet so many new people and learn so many different things - It relieves my stress!”

Looking for a job and interviewing before graduation tends to add a lot of stress to students' lives.

While balancing school and social life is hard enough, students who work jobs too often face even more time challenges.

“I work an accounting job during busy season, which has definitely made me more stressed out than normal,” Wilz said. 

For Norris, long shifts at the hospital contribute to her burnout.

“My 12-hour shifts at MUSC are what usually contribute to my burnout because they are just long,” she said. 

Although colleges offer resources to help students manage stress, some believe they are not always accessible or proactive enough. 

“I think a lot of schools, everyone’s very reactive, not proactive,” Schroeder said. “It’s really left to the kid, which isn’t really fair.”

Others, like Rush, see the value in available resources.

“Yes, I think there are a lot of resources and options to talk about your stress or participate in things to get your mind off of it.”

Between academic expectations, social pressures, and work commitments, students are constantly searching for ways to manage their time and reduce stress.

For many, finding the right balance remains one of the greatest challenges of college life. 

Wilz put it best.

“It is stressful to try and maintain grades as well as having fun,” he said.