3 answers
Arianna
Student
Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ
1
Question
Updated
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What was the most difficult thing in college you had to come across that affected your mental and/or physical health?
How to cope with stress while in school?
what was the easiest part of college?
do you suggest getting your masters or going straight to doctorate school?
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3 answers
Susana Appiah
MIDWIFE
98
Answers
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Updated
Susana’s Answer
What Was the Most Difficult Thing in College That Affected Mental and/or Physical Health?
For many students, balancing academics with personal life is one of the most difficult things they face in college. It can create immense stress and lead to feelings of burnout. Juggling multiple assignments, exams, social activities, and sometimes a part-time job, can take a toll on your mental and physical health.
The pressure to maintain high grades, especially when the workload is heavy, can lead to anxiety or feelings of inadequacy. Physically, students often sacrifice sleep to meet deadlines, which can impact their overall health. It's important to take breaks, get enough sleep, and reach out for support when you feel overwhelmed.
2. How to Cope with Stress While in School?
Coping with stress in college requires a multifaceted approach:
Time Management: Planning ahead is key. Use planners or digital calendars to map out deadlines, assignments, and exams. Breaking large tasks into smaller, manageable parts can reduce overwhelming feelings.
Self-Care: Make self-care a priority. Exercise, eat nutritious meals, get enough sleep, and practice relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing exercises. Even small moments of rest can significantly lower stress levels.
Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Whether it’s talking to friends, family, or a counselor, having a support system can help you manage stress. Many colleges offer counseling services for students dealing with anxiety, depression, or academic stress.
Join a Community or Group: Engage in extracurricular activities or clubs that align with your interests. Sometimes, a support group or social circle can provide much-needed relief and distraction from academic pressures.
Mindfulness and Focused Breaks: Taking breaks and practicing mindfulness can improve your mental clarity. Simple things like taking a walk, reading, or listening to music can help refresh your mind during long study sessions.
3. What Was the Easiest Part of College?
For many, the easiest part of college can be the social aspect—meeting new people, making friends, and discovering new interests. These social connections can make the experience enjoyable and less stressful. Many students find that once they’ve settled into a routine and made friends, the academic challenges become easier to manage.
Additionally, some students may find that they are more comfortable with independence compared to high school. College often provides the freedom to manage your own schedule, which can be a positive change for students who thrive on autonomy.
4. Do You Suggest Getting Your Master’s or Going Straight to Doctorate School?
This depends on your career goals and personal aspirations. Here are some factors to consider:
Master’s Degree:
A master’s degree is typically a more flexible option. It’s ideal if you want to gain more specialized knowledge or if you're interested in clinical practice or advanced roles like a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, or Nurse Administrator.
It usually takes 2-3 years to complete, and you can start working in a specialized field sooner. A master’s also allows for better work-life balance, especially if you’re starting your career and need time to adjust.
Doctoral Degree (DNP, PhD):
A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD is for those who are deeply committed to research, leadership, or advanced clinical roles. A DNP focuses more on leadership and applying research to clinical practice, while a PhD is research-heavy and prepares you for academic roles or higher-level positions in policy and healthcare systems.
It usually takes 3-5 years to complete, and it can be more demanding in terms of time, energy, and finances.
If you’re certain you want to work at the highest level of clinical practice or leadership, a doctorate might be the right choice, but if you want to start working and gaining experience sooner, a master’s degree could be more suitable.
General Advice:
If you're unsure, starting with a Master's degree can provide a strong foundation and allow you to gain work experience. You can always pursue a doctorate later if you decide to further specialize.
Consider your personal goals, financial situation, and how much time you’re willing to dedicate to further education when making your decision.
Ultimately, both paths are valuable, but the right choice depends on where you want to go in your career.
For many students, balancing academics with personal life is one of the most difficult things they face in college. It can create immense stress and lead to feelings of burnout. Juggling multiple assignments, exams, social activities, and sometimes a part-time job, can take a toll on your mental and physical health.
The pressure to maintain high grades, especially when the workload is heavy, can lead to anxiety or feelings of inadequacy. Physically, students often sacrifice sleep to meet deadlines, which can impact their overall health. It's important to take breaks, get enough sleep, and reach out for support when you feel overwhelmed.
2. How to Cope with Stress While in School?
Coping with stress in college requires a multifaceted approach:
Time Management: Planning ahead is key. Use planners or digital calendars to map out deadlines, assignments, and exams. Breaking large tasks into smaller, manageable parts can reduce overwhelming feelings.
Self-Care: Make self-care a priority. Exercise, eat nutritious meals, get enough sleep, and practice relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing exercises. Even small moments of rest can significantly lower stress levels.
Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Whether it’s talking to friends, family, or a counselor, having a support system can help you manage stress. Many colleges offer counseling services for students dealing with anxiety, depression, or academic stress.
Join a Community or Group: Engage in extracurricular activities or clubs that align with your interests. Sometimes, a support group or social circle can provide much-needed relief and distraction from academic pressures.
Mindfulness and Focused Breaks: Taking breaks and practicing mindfulness can improve your mental clarity. Simple things like taking a walk, reading, or listening to music can help refresh your mind during long study sessions.
3. What Was the Easiest Part of College?
For many, the easiest part of college can be the social aspect—meeting new people, making friends, and discovering new interests. These social connections can make the experience enjoyable and less stressful. Many students find that once they’ve settled into a routine and made friends, the academic challenges become easier to manage.
Additionally, some students may find that they are more comfortable with independence compared to high school. College often provides the freedom to manage your own schedule, which can be a positive change for students who thrive on autonomy.
4. Do You Suggest Getting Your Master’s or Going Straight to Doctorate School?
This depends on your career goals and personal aspirations. Here are some factors to consider:
Master’s Degree:
A master’s degree is typically a more flexible option. It’s ideal if you want to gain more specialized knowledge or if you're interested in clinical practice or advanced roles like a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, or Nurse Administrator.
It usually takes 2-3 years to complete, and you can start working in a specialized field sooner. A master’s also allows for better work-life balance, especially if you’re starting your career and need time to adjust.
Doctoral Degree (DNP, PhD):
A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD is for those who are deeply committed to research, leadership, or advanced clinical roles. A DNP focuses more on leadership and applying research to clinical practice, while a PhD is research-heavy and prepares you for academic roles or higher-level positions in policy and healthcare systems.
It usually takes 3-5 years to complete, and it can be more demanding in terms of time, energy, and finances.
If you’re certain you want to work at the highest level of clinical practice or leadership, a doctorate might be the right choice, but if you want to start working and gaining experience sooner, a master’s degree could be more suitable.
General Advice:
If you're unsure, starting with a Master's degree can provide a strong foundation and allow you to gain work experience. You can always pursue a doctorate later if you decide to further specialize.
Consider your personal goals, financial situation, and how much time you’re willing to dedicate to further education when making your decision.
Ultimately, both paths are valuable, but the right choice depends on where you want to go in your career.
James Hanson
Pediatric Intensive Care Physician; Consultant
160
Answers
Oakland, California
Updated
James’s Answer
College can be stressful, but if you go out of your way to join groups of like-minded people in sports, music, art, nature, foreign language - and even academic interests, you will learn to diffuse that stress, and often apply the valuable parts of stress towards self-improvement and accomplishment (yes, stress is not all bad!).
I was lucky, I think, to go to college close to my family, so I got a good dose of independence while being able to easily see my folks (and do my laundry) when I wanted to. Zoom doesn't come with hugs, but is pretty good at keeping one connected to people you love who are far away. I also was lucky to have some high school friends go to my university.
Everyone in any phase of life needs to be sure to devote enough time to exercise, sleep, and healthy eating. Don't sacrifice these vital things and you will be healthier and better equipped to manage stressors as they present.
Don't try to rush through college. Take a reasonable burden of classes, but not so much that you get overwhelmed. For most post-graduate endeavors, a strong GPA is far better than finishing quickly. Also, as expensive as college is, it is usually the least expensive time of your life to learn. I therefore recommend you take courses of interest that may be significantly different than the requirements you have for your major.
The easiest part of college for me was finding fun things to do away from studies. I was involved in choral groups, intramural sports (being paid as a referee as well), theater, and natural history all while doing pre-medical studies.
I don't think one needs to get a masters if you know you plan to get a doctorate degree, but many do get their masters on their way towards a doctorate. Getting a masters doesn't burn any bridges I am aware of.
I was lucky, I think, to go to college close to my family, so I got a good dose of independence while being able to easily see my folks (and do my laundry) when I wanted to. Zoom doesn't come with hugs, but is pretty good at keeping one connected to people you love who are far away. I also was lucky to have some high school friends go to my university.
Everyone in any phase of life needs to be sure to devote enough time to exercise, sleep, and healthy eating. Don't sacrifice these vital things and you will be healthier and better equipped to manage stressors as they present.
Don't try to rush through college. Take a reasonable burden of classes, but not so much that you get overwhelmed. For most post-graduate endeavors, a strong GPA is far better than finishing quickly. Also, as expensive as college is, it is usually the least expensive time of your life to learn. I therefore recommend you take courses of interest that may be significantly different than the requirements you have for your major.
The easiest part of college for me was finding fun things to do away from studies. I was involved in choral groups, intramural sports (being paid as a referee as well), theater, and natural history all while doing pre-medical studies.
I don't think one needs to get a masters if you know you plan to get a doctorate degree, but many do get their masters on their way towards a doctorate. Getting a masters doesn't burn any bridges I am aware of.
Katie Jacobs
Consultant
12
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Katie’s Answer
College can be a difficult time, socially, emotionally, and even physically sometimes. It is an adjustment to be in a new space make new friends and explore what really matters to you. I think some of my biggest struggles came from trying to independently figure out how to navigate the worldwithout the support of my family nearby. It taught me how to make independent decisions, however, I did often feel challenged down sad and missing my family and friends that I was comfortable with.
The way that I managed stress with academics and other outer stress factors included, staying active, being outside, and getting involved in a lot of on campus groups, where I could meet new people and figure out who my “people” are. It’s difficult to make new friends sometimes but it’s also difficult to sit alone and feel lonely without a support system with school stress. I did my best to time box based on my academic classes and the priority that they may have required from my time it’s always good to take frequent breaks and do things that you enjoy as well
The way that I managed stress with academics and other outer stress factors included, staying active, being outside, and getting involved in a lot of on campus groups, where I could meet new people and figure out who my “people” are. It’s difficult to make new friends sometimes but it’s also difficult to sit alone and feel lonely without a support system with school stress. I did my best to time box based on my academic classes and the priority that they may have required from my time it’s always good to take frequent breaks and do things that you enjoy as well
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Arianna