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OPINION
Tuesday, March 5, 2013 | The Cavalier Daily
Talking about my generation University students must find new ways to deal with high stress levels In addition to being the most as academic life and the job narcissistic, our generation of market grow more competicollege students reigns as the tive. It is not uncommon to most stressed. According to see students at the University crying from stress, a 2012 “Stress in getting angry and America” study MEREDITH BERGER becoming irritable commissioned by OPINION COLUMNIST from stress and the American Psychological Association, those even becoming reclusive at born after the 1980s — known as times. But while I understand millennials — make up the most stress is sometimes unavoidable, our peers need to learn how to stressed-out demographic. The study shows that nearly handle stress more healthfully. In my short time at the Univer40 percent of millennials had increased stress levels in the sity, I have witnessed students last year, and an even greater camping out in the libraries all number said stress kept them night long believing they will be awake at night during the last more efficient, drinking excesmonth. Anxiety is a proven sively to forget about their stress cause of insomnia, which can and going home multiple weekcause fatigue and attention ends in a row in hopes of “runproblems and also increase ning away” from their stress. I the risk of disease. Heightened have even seen students gorge stress levels, however, do not themselves on donuts and other only affect our sleep patterns. unhealthy foods during times They also lead to weight gain, of heightened stress to procrassubstance abuse, weak immune tinate and also to get energy from the sugar. Our generation systems and mental illness. High levels of stress nega- faces a lot of pressure created by tively affect our generation, increased competitiveness for and the study showed that 44 getting into college and percent of millennials experi- getting jobs. We stress enced stress-induced irritability about what majors to and anger, and 19 percent had choose and how that been told they are suffering choice will affect our from depression. According to future. We are told Nancy Snyderman, NBC’s chief to follow our hearts medical editor, stress is “a huge and study what we are factor” contributing to medical most interested in, but problems such as obesity, hyper- realistically we need 6 tension, diabetes and cardiac to choose majors with f u t u r e e m p l oy m e n t disease. The current job market is one possibilities in mind. source of stress for our genera- Majors we often desire tion. A study by the Center for sometimes threaten to College Affordability found that leave us unemployable, 4 48 percent of working college or so it seems. So we graduates are in jobs that do study topics that may not require a college degree not interest us, but with and 38 percent are in jobs that which we feel more do not require a high school secure. What’s more is that diploma. The report also found that from 2010 to 2020, while 19 students are now more 2 million college graduates will than ever searching be entering the job market, the desperately for connececonomy will only add around 7 tions and competing million jobs that require college for internships, and all of this stress is finally degrees. Beyond jobs, our generation’s getting to us. While the stress itself stress stems from the high standards to which we hold our- may be unavoidable, selves. These standards increase we can still prevent
some of its more negative con- well-being.” Therefore, a strong sequences. Talking to peers can network of supportive friends be extremely helpful for people and family members can help combat life’s d e a l i n g stressors. In with stress. “In my short time at the s o me c as e s , Internalizing stress University, I have witnessed h o w e v e r , families only is harmstudents camping out in exacerbate ful, and the the libraries all night long stress by putmore lonely and isolated believing they will be more ting pressure on their chilyou are, the efficient, drinking excesdren. Even greater your sively to forget about their f r i e n d s c a n vulnerability be a cause of to stress is. stress and going home in our According multiple weekends in a row stress lives rather to an article f r o m t h e in hopes of “running away” than a solution. In such Mayo Clinic, from their stress. cases, reach“Having ing out to the close friends U n i v e r s i t y ’s and family has far-reaching benefits for Counseling and Psychological your health.” The article also Services might be helpful. CAPS explained how telling your is the University’s primary stuproblems to others, rather than dent counseling clinic and its internalizing them, increases mission is to “be responsive to your sense of belonging and the mental health needs of U.Va. your sense of security, which students while also providing “contributes to psychological consultation, education, out-
reach and crisis management to the broader U.Va. community.” With CAPS and other services like it, students are able to voice their problems and concerns to one person without fear of judgment. CAPS in just one of many places to go on Grounds where students who find themselves overwhelmed and stressed can receive help and consultation from professionals trained in dealing with these sorts of cases. I am not telling students to give up stress: stress is a part of life and at health levels it can be constructive. But it is imperative that students do not stress excessively, lest they put themselves at risk for insomnia, attention problems, increased risk of disease, weight gain, substance abuse or mental illness. Meredith Berger is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at m.berger@ cavalierdaily.com.
Average Stress Levels vs. Healthy Stress Levels Personal assessment of stress level Healthy level of stress Data courtesy of American Psychological Association
Millenials
(Ages 18 to 33)
Gen X
Boomer
(Ages 34 to 47) (Ages 48 to 66)
Mature
(67 years and older)
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