College Life And All That Pressure: How To Deal

There’s no shortage of pressure throughout college life, and unfortunately the pressure only changes, it never quite goes away throughout those four years! When you start college, there’s the pressure of making new friends and figuring out your major. Later on, looking for internships and preparing for graduation can cause pressure, too.

But fear not. The big thing to remember is not to let that pressure get too overwhelming, and that’s actually not hard to do if you can keep things in perspective. Even if you end up making the wrong choices, whether about your major or what you did Friday night, there’s time to correct it. Fortunately, even if you’re a senior, you have to remember that you’re still young enough to correct any errors and proceed on the path that you choose. In the case of a wrong major, you can often tack on the true field that interests you as a minor and still make it out in four years. Or, look at how many people wind up doing jobs which they never thought they would based on their college majors—some doctors studied the humanities before getting into medicine! And as for those poor Friday-night choices, there’s always time to make better choices.

Throughout college, grades and keeping up that GPA will always cause pressure. That in itself is a good thing, because it shows that you care and that you’re willing to work hard. If you’re trying your best and doing your work and studying, chances are you’ll do fine or even better than fine. Still, the pressure lingers. Even if it’s a big test coming up, no one test will wreck your college career, so keep that in mind. No single poor grade is going to tank your GPA. Succeed when you can and where you can, and those grades will take care of themselves.

Conversely, if you’re not doing well in your field of study, you can consider studying something else. There’s still time! Think of it this way: throwing on a few extra classes or an extra year at college is better than getting stuck in a field that you don’t want to be in. Staying flexible, or at least acknowledging that you can be, can help to relieve pressure too; it’s when you can’t find an out that the pressure really feels like it’s building.

Amid grades, relationships, and trying to fit in healthy meals, there are enough causes of pressure. So keep in mind the big picture: you’re there to receive an education, and that right there is something to take a moment and recognize. Many students don’t have that opportunity, and even though it comes with added responsibilities and pressure, it’s better than not having the opportunity at all.