By Morgan Kacalek
While College can be a great opportunity to be independent and learn new things, it can also be a struggle for those dealing with anxiety. College is overwhelming and can prove to be stressful when you are faced with the new responsibilities of living on your own and managing your own schedule.
Anxiety, unfortunately, has become very common, but fortunately, is brought to light more often in today’s society. According to the American College Health Association (ACHA), “63% of college students in the U.S. felt overwhelming anxiety in the past year.” Additionally, “23% reported being diagnosed or treated by a mental health professional for anxiety in the past year.” Experts say these kinds of results are most common during the initial transition to college. Studies like the ones performed by the ACHA, commonly show that students are the most overwhelmed during their first year of college, and eventually those numbers decrease as they make friends and discover new resources within the school to help them deal with their stress and anxiety.
Rising anxiety levels in college students can be caused by a number of factors. For one, sleep disruption is something that college students learn to deal with on a nightly basis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “at least 60% of college students have poor quality sleep and garner, on average, 7 hours of sleep per night.” The CDC has further concluded that, “Overall, 26.4% of students experienced insomnia.” Aside from those students who actively experience clinical insomnia, there are many students who suffer from sleep deprivation on the daily due to factors such as large caffeine intakes or pulling all nighters to study for exams or finish assignments.
Another factor that has proven to contribute to developing anxiety in college is loneliness. According to the 2024 Gitnux Market Data Report, “73% of college students reported feeling alone, and 45% of them felt chronic pervasive loneliness.” It is not difficult to imagine that loneliness would be a common theme in most colleges and universities, as all students are in the process of leaving their small hometowns and high schools and being forced to adapt to a large school where it is easy to blend in and be unseen. This difficulty to make friends and find people to confide in could be something else that is contributing to a greater population of students experiencing anxiety.
Doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Harvard University, Nicole LeBlanc, says academic factors such as “school stress,” and “disengagement from studies,” can also be related to anxiety in college. According to Duquesne University Nursing School, it is not surprising anxiety in college is so prevalent among students. On top of trying to make friends and get situated at a new school away from home, “students often have to manage heavy loads of coursework, in addition to participating in extracurricular activities and holding part-time or full-time jobs.” Additionally, “Students must also cope with the stress of choosing a new career based on their education goals.” Because most students attend college to better educate them for future careers, many students deal with the fear of not knowing what they want to pursue after school. This fact alone is enough to increase levels of anxiety in college students, let alone other factors such as sleep deprivation and loneliness.
But don’t fret. If you are planning on attending college and are worried about experiencing these same stressors and anxiety, there are an abundance of resources and tips that can help you also encounter the very positive benefits of college like career opportunities and life changing social experiences. Some of these resources include on campus counselors and therapists that can help you work through the transition from high school to college or even programs that can connect you with other students who can potentially help you as well. Another great tip for coping with anxiety in college is to practice self-care. Establishing a healthy routine where you are getting enough sleep and taking care of your body can be extremely helpful when dealing with anxiety. Watching what you put into your body, including limiting your caffeine intake, is more important than you think and can save you a lot of stress in college.
While anxiety is becoming more and more prevalent in students in college, it is also important to understand that college can be a great opportunity to pursue the career you are passionate about and meet new people who will turn into lifelong friends. Anxiety can be a problem if you don’t understand how to deal with it, but learning the warning signs and learning how to listen to your body and take care of yourself can significantly help you experience college in a positive light.
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