Although college is usually perceived as one of the most enjoyable periods in an individual’s life, it is also a substantial responsibility, sometimes exacerbated by outside pressure. The latter may stem from families and peer groups, depending on a student’s background. Furthermore, the academic pressure itself may be a source of distress for learners (Leavey, 2022). During college, students are exposed to external stressors from school, society, and families.
The three major pressures for college students exist that make them adapt or sometimes quit. Firstly, academic studies and performance are believed to be the primary source of frustration for individuals since excessive workload may demolish the whole point of learning. Both science and humanities students realize the importance of continuous work because otherwise, incomplete assignments and unread chapters quickly accumulate, making learners cram before exams (Leavey, 2022). Therefore, many students become more organized, while others decide to change their majors or quit college. Secondly, social expectations and perceptions can cause stress for students because many of them want to be accepted and admired since low grades are stigmatized (Leavey, 2022). They may spend most of their time studying instead of building valuable connections. Thirdly, familial pressure is a critical source of stress for students who want to receive praise from their parents for outstanding performance. It is prevalent among people of color, including African Americans and Latinx, because families play an essential role in their cultures (Rodriguez et al., 2021). Hence, many Latina students never graduate because their communities expect to prioritize marriage and family over academia.
In summary, college students experience pressure from their families and society. In fact, these two groups expect their children to have excellent academic performance. At the same time, many students internalize the idea that high grades are good and low grades are bad. Thus, they spend most of their time studying instead of building social connections and developing expertise in several fields. Overall, external expectations are potent motivators for learners to study hard, but they also cause tremendous stress to young people.
References
Leavey, E. (2022). Students face academic stress due to various pressures.The Standard. Web.
Rodriguez, S., Pilcher, A., & Garcia-Tellez, N. (2021). The influence of familismo on Latina student STEM identity development. Journal of Latinos and Education, 20(2), 177-189. Web.