73 A Christian Guide to Body Stewardship, Diet and Exercise Stress and the College Student The college experience is a major source of stress for most students. Respondents to the American College Health Association survey (2018) reported various factors which negatively affected their academic performance. Some of the factors mentioned include stress, anxiety, depression, concern for a troubled friend, relationship problems, financial problems, and/or death of a family member. For many students, college is the first time living away from home and on their own. Interestingly, stress for college students seems to be most prevalent during the freshman and senior years. For freshmen, the stress comes from being in a totally new physical and social setting as well as new and more challenging academic expectations. For seniors, the stress comes from the anticipation of life beyond college to include work, marriage, and finances (Johnson & Morris, 2012). Ironically, the stress associated with college seems to be similar between Christian and secular schools. According to researchers, the top five stressors for all college students include (Fahey et al., 2011; Walter et al., 2006): 1. Academics. The majority of students surveyed rated academics as the leading cause of stress, higher than any other stressor associated with college life. 2. Relationships. Many college students have lives beyond just that of school and/or have roommates. Some are in a dating relationship, while others are married and/or have children. Managing these relationships, in addition to academics, can be a major source of stress, especially if other individuals involved are less than supportive. 3. Future concerns. As college life comes to an end, many students struggle with concerns regarding their future including finding a spouse and a career. 4. Time management. Keeping up with different class schedules and due dates for assignments can be a major source of stress. However, these pressures can be drastically compounded when combined with poor time management skills and family and/or work responsibilities. 5. Financial matters. College is expensive, and as a result, the majority of college students need some form of financial aid to afford it. In order to cover costs, many college students need to work or take out loans. Often work and college loans become additional stressors as they compete with academics and other responsibilities. Though not listed in the top five, procrastination and technology are other common sources of stress for college students. Moser (2014) associates fear (e.g., feeling overwhelmed), overconfidence and laziness as some of the underlying culprits of procrastination. To combat procrastination, Moser (2014) proposes four possible strategies: Analyze (Am I wasting time?); Prioritize (Am I investing my time wisely?); Biblicize (Is my time spent on what truly matters biblically?); and Exercise (Am I being disciplined with my time?).
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