Image by University of Denver via Flickr
Victory has forever been an easy concept: success has been earned without worry; rewards have been found without strain. The quest for an education has been free of the often touted anxieties — the struggles against statistics and ink. All lessons have been mastered. All knowledge has been gained. Your ability to conquer schooling is a remarkable thing; and you assume it will never change.
Such an assumption is shattered, however, as you begin your first semester of college — with classes requiring answers you can’t give (your vocabulary wilts in the wake of philosophic demands). Stress starts to form. Your body rebels, offering exhausted stares and shaking hands. Your grades plummet, suffering from a lack of comprehension and sheer time. You simply… can’t do this.
You can.
You must first merely admit your concerns.
Stress dominates universities (with 33 percent of students fleeing schools within their first years and 85 percent suffering from daily problems). It’s imperative therefore to accept this — rather than trying to shove the truth away, devoting yourself instead to texts. All emotions must be recognized before they can be overcome. You must allow yourself to admit that an education is no longer so easily won.
This will enable you to then examine yourself: noting what changes must be made and what concessions must be given (such as dropping an excess of classes or seeking outside aid). It’s only through confessing worries that they can be properly dealt with. Self-reflection demands honesty, not a wounded ego.
Stress is an unhappy element of college. It can be defeated, however, if it’s understood.