Exploring Student Stress And How To Cope As A Stressed Student

School can be a challenging time for both college and high school students. With coursework, relationships, extracurricular activities, and family pressure, you may face a wide range of stressors at different stages of your academic career. While occasional stress may not be a problem, stress can become an issue when it interferes with your mental or physical well-being. Let’s take a closer look at how stress may manifest in students, as well as some coping strategies for managing stress during school. 

What is stress?

Stress is a physical and mental response to demanding situations. When you’re stressed, you may notice symptoms in your body, such as tense muscles or fluttering in your stomach. You may also notice mental and emotional symptoms, such as irritability and trouble concentrating. These symptoms are your body’s way of preparing you to respond to a threat or challenge. 

There are two types of stress: acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is stress that comes on quickly (for example, when you get into an argument or are running late to a meeting) and goes away once the situation passes. Chronic stress is often due to ongoing challenges like work or relationship concerns. As a student, you may experience both acute stress and chronic stress during your time in school.  

Common causes of stress among high school and college students

Student stress can have a wide range of causes, including schoolwork, social dynamics, and worries about the future. Reasons you might experience stress as a student include:

• Pressure to get good grades
• Overwhelming amounts of homework or classwork
• Trouble balancing schoolwork, your social life, and extracurricular activities 
• Pressure to get into a good college or graduate school 
• Standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, or GRE
• Bullying or hazing
• Challenges in friendships or romantic relationships
• Concerns about tuition or student loans
• The transition to adulthood

From anxiety to depression: Effects of stress on mental health

Occasional stress may not always be a problem. However, too much stress can have negative mental health effects. Some of the most common include: 

Generalized anxiety disorder

Anxiety is a sense of ongoing worry or dread about future events. People with generalized anxiety disorder may experience anxiety about a wide range of concerns, to the extent that it interferes with their daily lives. Generalized anxiety disorder may also cause:

• Restlessness or irritability
• Feelings of worry that are hard to control 
• Fatigue
• Unexplained muscle pains, headaches, or stomachaches
• Trouble sleeping 
  

Panic attacks

Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear. These episodes typically last 5 to 20 minutes, often peaking at about 10 minutes, and may not always have an obvious trigger. When you have a panic attack, you might experience symptoms like:

• A rapid heartbeat
• Sweating
• Trouble breathing
• Nausea or dizziness
• An intense fear of dying
• Feelings of overwhelming dread

Depression

Depression can cause ongoing feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or low energy. Episodes of depression typically last at least two weeks and:

• Persistent feelings of sadness or emptiness
• Feelings of anger, guilt, or restlessness
• A loss of interest in hobbies and relationships
• An ongoing lack of energy
• Changes in eating and sleeping habits
• Negative feelings about oneself

Substance use

When you have trouble controlling your urges to consume something and these challenges are interfering with your life, you may have a substance use disorder. Substance use disorders can develop from using alcohol, drugs, or other habit-forming substances. Symptoms of a substance use disorder may include:

• An intense, overwhelming desire to use the substance 
• Unsuccessful attempts to stop using the substance
• Symptoms of withdrawal that can be relieved by using the substance
• Challenges in your life or relationships due to using the substance 

High blood pressure, muscle pain, and more: Effects of stress on physical health

Beyond mental health, stress—especially chronic stress—can also have negative effects on physical health. Some examples include:

Trouble sleeping

Elevated stress levels can sometimes lead to insomnia. People with insomnia may struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep, or they may wake up at improper times. Not getting enough sleep can lead to daytime sleepiness and trouble concentrating, which may make it harder for students to focus during class, negatively affecting academic performance. 

High blood pressure

When you experience stress, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones can increase your heartbeat and constrict your blood vessels, leading to a spike in blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure may contribute to vision loss, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. 

Aches and pains

When you’re stressed, you may also experience physical pain in your body. While this symptom usually passes when the source of the stress goes away, ongoing stress may lead to your muscles staying in a state of tension. As a result, you may experience effects like tension headaches, migraines, and back and shoulder pain. 

Signs you might be a stressed student

Understanding what stress can look like may help you take action to manage it before it can negatively affect your mental and physical health. Signs of stress can look different in different people, but you may be a stressed student if: 

• You often feel restless, irritable, or “on edge.” 
• You feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities or assignments.
• You experience unexplained stomachaches, headaches, or pain.
• You’re having trouble sleeping, or you’re sleeping more than usual.
• You’re getting sick more often than usual.
• You often struggle to concentrate, make decisions, or remember information.
• You’re withdrawing from your relationships. 
• Other people have noticed changes in your mood or behavior. 

How to manage stress in school 

Not all stress can be avoided, but by being proactive, you may be able to better manage stress and reduce its effects on your well-being. If you’re a student, the strategies in this section may be helpful, whether you’re currently experiencing stress or you want to protect yourself from stress in the future. 

How to manage stress and support your mental health as a high school student

Stress in high school can be especially challenging due to the added uncertainty students may experience about college, work, and standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. If you’re experiencing stress in high school, consider the following tips: 

• Prioritize your assignments based on their importance, difficulty, and due dates.
• Find study techniques that work for you, such as flashcards, gamification, or mnemonic devices. 
• Turn off your phone before each class to ensure you’re fully present and engaged. 
• Build a block of free time into your schedule each day, even if you have a busy schedule. 
• Consider using a planner or other organization tool to manage your schoolwork. 
• Make time for regular exercise, especially if you aren’t taking any physical education classes.
• Get as much quality sleep as you can by following a consistent bedtime schedule and avoiding screens before bed. 
• Seek support from your friends, family, and teachers if you’re feeling overwhelmed. 

Stress management tips for college students

College students may also face unique stressors, such as the transition to independent living, tuition, and specialized coursework. Coping with these stressors may be easier with the following strategies:

• Take advantage of campus tutoring, your student success center, and other resources offered by your school.
• Build chores like laundry and cooking into your weekly routine. 
• Surround yourself with a social group that can offer advice and emotional support when you’re stressed. 
• Keep your workspace tidy and well-organized.
• Take advantage of your professors’ office hours if you’re having difficulty with class material. 
• Create a simple budget for tuition, living expenses, and entertainment. 
• Break larger assignments into smaller, more manageable chunks and do a little each day. 
• Join a club, study group, or campus organization where you can connect with others and decompress from your schoolwork.
• Avoid overscheduling yourself, especially if you also have an internship or part-time job. 

Mental health and stress management resources for students

In addition to the coping strategies mentioned above, students facing high levels of stress may benefit from mental health support. Below, you can find a list of resources for getting advice, managing school-related stress, and connecting with mental health professionals in high school and college:

• School psychologists: Many U.S. high schools have at least one psychologist on campus. Your school psychologist may be able to identify mental health concerns and connect you with appropriate mental health resources. 
• Guidance counselors: Guidance counselors don’t typically offer direct mental health support. However, your school counselor may be able to help you balance your schedule and find academic support like tutoring. 
• Campus mental health centers: Colleges often provide mental health counseling through their student health centers. Note that during busy academic seasons, you may want to make an appointment in advance to avoid long wait times. 
• Academic advising: Like high school guidance counselors, academic advisors may be able to help college students build a sustainable course load and manage academic stress.  
• Helplines: Mental health hotlines like the Crisis Text Line and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can provide students with quick, short-term support. 

Online therapy for stress

You may find it harder to make time to get mental health support if you’re feeling overwhelmed by coursework. Online therapy lets you see a licensed therapist on your own schedule without having to leave the house. You can communicate with a therapist via voice call, video call, or live chat. This flexibility may make it easier to get stress management help when you need it. With online therapy, you can also contact your therapist any time through in-app messaging, and they’ll respond as soon as they can. 

Studies show that online therapy can be effective for reducing stress. In a 2022 paper, researchers reviewed data from 13 studies of internet-based therapy for people with elevated stress levels. They found that online therapy effectively reduced symptoms of stress and stress-related disorders.