More handpicked essays just for you.
Effects of stress in college
Research proposal for stress among college students
Effects of stress in college
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the essay “College Pressures” by William Zinsser, Zinsser speaks about the pressures and anxiety that plague college students, all the while wishing that they had “a chance to savor each segment of their education as an experience in itself and not as a grim preparation for the next step.” Referring to the 1979 generation of college students as “panicky to succeed”, he lists four of the following stressors for college students. Economic pressure is the first pressure listed in Zinsser’s essay. Tuition, room and board at most private colleges in 1979 was at least $7,000, not counting the cost of books and miscellaneous fees. Students loans were, and still are, almost unavoidable due to the high costs, which in turn creates debt. Parental
In their texts Both Zinsser and Barber are questioning the conventional assumptions that college is the main passage into a financial and social accomplishment. To achieve these goals students are often faced with unnecessary pressures. Their purpose or reason for challenging such assumptions is to make the readers become aware of the conventional notions, and possibly direct them out of their trapped positions to make their own choices. As today's students will be the potential future leaders and make-up of the society, there is a high stake. In the past the society has accomplished to thrive the students into the clichés and false assumptions about college that exist today, nevertheless this accomplishment has opened a door for some critics like Zinsser and Barber to come up with a different view on college education and pressures that can well be the next conventional assumption in the future.
From the beginning of high school, students strap on their seatbelts and prepare for one of the most vigorous races of their lives – becoming successful. With the rare occurrence of a break, kids are expected to keep on driving as fast and as powerfully as they can in order to get into a “great” college, which would be followed by graduate school and then an actual job that would make a lot of money. In American society, common values include working hard, determination, and being so productive that free time is not even a question. However, this philosophy is taking a major toll on American college and high school students. For at least 40 years, America’s future has been steadily growing unmotivated, tired, and hopeless due to the overemphasis on performing well in school. This phenomenon is appropriately expounded in William Zinsser’s “College Pressures”, which takes a look at the top four sources of tension that cause these feelings of dejection and agitation. After reading this article, I came up with a few solutions to this national problem. It is time to switch the harsh, over-encouraging green light of education to a comfortable yellow one. In order to make this ideal transition, directors of education across the country need to primarily reduce the amount of out-of-class assignments, lighten the grading system, and incorporate days in the school year that allow students to express their thoughts about school and provide useful feedback.
Coming to college as an adult, we have many expectations and preconceptions of what college will or will not be. The expectations we have can influence our college life for the better or the worse. My experience since starting college has been an interesting one. People have misconceptions about college because they do not know what to expect. After doing some research, I have concluded that there are three major factors that are often misunderstood about college life. The first is the financial aspect of college. Second, is the relationship between the professors and students. Third is time management. These three factors play an important role in why people are afraid to go down the path to college.
Zinsser’s work entitled “College Pressures” intent to expose a critical flaw within the educational system, in hope that it will encourage students to relax when it come to their academic success. Zinsser’s is doing more than illustrates a difficult situation, he is enforcing new ideas and principle just as: academic freedom and freedom to explore career opportunities without judgement and criticism from the school system and their parents. By enforcing these principle Zinsser’s hopes to awaken a new era where students are free from pressured sales tactics from both parents and society when come to academic success.
If an individual is provided resources and surrounded by people who believe they are capable of goal achievement, said individual is more likely to experienced increases in determination and subsequent improvement in performance and well-being. For example, research has shown that students enrolled in positive learning environments where teachers incorporate strategies meant to meet students' motivational needs are more likely to become responsible learners who display a determination to succeed. In the essay "College Pressures" by William Zinsser, the pressures faced by college students at Yale are studied. The pressures include the need to develop time management and study skills appropriate for college work, the desire for good grades, the desire to meet parents' expectations, and the need to find employment in a competitive job market after
In the essay “College Pressure” (1978), William Zinsser, An American writer, editor, literary critic, and teacher, argues that college students are faced with four types of pressure, Economic, Parental, Peer, and Self-induced pressures. Zinsser support the views of college students who are faced with economic pressure from colleges by describing the students struggle to pay college debts, the author states, “Loan that [Students] must start to repay within one year of graduation.”. Then Zinsser explains students economic pressure causes parental pressure on the student because, “One part of them feel obliged to fulfill their parent's dream.”. Zinsser emphasizes how peer pressure takes place in a college student in which the students put the
In “College Pressures”, William Zinsser expresses his concern with society and driving people to a preplanned path and downgrading free expression and exploration. He portrays this to readers through literary techniques such as repetition, metaphors, and anecdotes.
In the essay, he states that he sees “four kinds of pressure working on college students today: economic pressure, parental pressure, peer pressure, and self-induced pressure” (398). He goes on to explain what goes through the minds of college students when dealing with the four stated pressures as well as academic pressures. While putting the thoughts of college students on display, Zinsser emphasizes the stress that they are forced to succumb to due to the stated pressures. He explains, “Today it is not unusual for a student, even if he works part-time at college and full-time during the summer, to accrue $5,000 in loans after four years--loans that he must start to repay within one year after graduation. Exhorted at commencement to go forth into the world, he is already behind as he goes forth” (400). In the quote, Zinsser explains the economical aspect of the four listed pressures. He clarifies that most students who pursue higher education do not graduate unscathed from school loans. He then questions his audience on the rationality of a college student going through school without thinking about the large sums of money that must be repaid by them: “How could he not feel under pressure throughout college to prepare for this day of reckoning?” (400). This description helps Zinsser effectively explain to his audience the hardship of dealing with just one of the four pressures he enumerated. Zinsser also uses rhetorical questions to let the audience know that he respects their point of view but also to further his own point. When explaining how parents would rather their children enroll in courses that will lead them to a financially fulfilling degree, Zinsser answers the question that audience members are thinking: “Where’s the payoff on the humanities? It’s not easy to persuade such loving
Numerous college students today feel as if they are not adequate enough. So much is put on their plate, and above it all, in order to maintain moving forward academically towards a career, they must showcase themselves. This idea is explored in “College Pressures” by William Zinsser. He discusses why students are driven to try so vigorously in order to earn a step ahead, yet the reasoning is arguable.
William Zinsser’s essay “College Pressures” emphasizes the struggles students have in trying to conquer the college milestone in life. Zinsser believes that college has lost the authenticity of the overall goal of gaining knowledge for one’s own interest, rather than the overall need of going. He sympathizes with struggles college kids go through and hopes to provide insight on the overall situation. One of his major points are that succeeding the first time is not always the best way in learning, and that sometimes students need to fail in order to properly learn. The author mentions the “Four pressures, economic pressure, parental pressure, peer pressure, and self-induced pressure” and how there are “No villains; only victims” that fall
Studies have shown that many college students are not able to handle the stress while in school, which hinders the ability for the brain to act in a normal way (Shahrokh and Hales, 2003). If a person is unable to deal with the stress that one is being faced with, it will have negative consequences in terms of causing several psychological disorders (Canby et al., 2014). Entering post-secondary education is a completely new environment for students, as it can be tough for many to adjust to the new surroundings. There are many factors that cause stress when students enter college, as it can include having the ability to deal with lower marks (Struthers et al., 2000) and having to create a new social life. Once and if a social life is established, it can cause more stress among students because it can lead into peer pressure that results in risky behavior. In particular, peer pressure can cause alcoholism or drug abuse (Seiffge-Krenke, 1990) or it can also cause unprotected sex. Not only does stress revolve around peer-pressure, but it can also be caused by headaches and lack of energy. If a student is constantly staying up late to finish assignments or to study, it can cause headaches from the lack of sleep; thus causing stress. With all the given factors, it can be hard to overcome these external factors which can ultimately lead to stress among
Driscoll, Emily. “Stress in College: What Causes it and How to Combat it.” Online posting. 31
In high school, students’ stress is minimal because many real-life problems, such as bills, jobs, and deadlines, are not as big of a deal. However, in college, all of these stressors demand attention at the same time and are amplified in the new setting. According to Sarath Nonis, “time constraints, financial strain, academic workload, and interpersonal difficulties with faculty, peers, and significant others contribute to stress for college students” (Nonis). College is a time for new experiences, and many students experience new social circles and opportunities to have less-supervised fun in their downtime. New relationships, or the lack of, can cause stress among students.
College is a scary and stressful undertaking. In William Zinsser’s writing “College Pressures” he talks about just that. Throughout this piece his observations and first hand encounters focus upon certain pressures that range from economically induced to self-induced. Mr. Zinsser shares his knowledge of these pressures by telling two stories about students who were affected personally. He also shares how he believes a majority of students take certain courses just to please their parents. The students have to choose between what their parents want for them, or what the truly want to study. Even though some of the students want to pursue their dream, the pressures that Zinsser talks about sometimes holds them back.
A. It’s easy to forget how many college students spend majority of their day or time stressed out. It’s no easy task to balance classes, do well on exams, projects, homework, and even extra-curricular activities the work is enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed and in my case especially during final exams. Academic performance and grades throughout your college career can have large stressful impact on you. I identify academic performance pressure as a stressor simply because coursework is not only demanding but the competition for earning top marks and remaining on the dean’s list and receiving good grades is fierce.