By: Taylor Kissinger

College administrators, educators, counselors, and researchers understand that stress and college seem to go hand in hand. Alarming statistics accumulated by the American College Health Association in 2015 state that 53.5% of students experience more than average to tremendous stress and 8.9% have seriously considered suicide. This is a clear indicator to colleges that finding solutions for stress should be a priority on their campuses. According to the University of Florida’s Counseling and Wellness Center, too much stress can become harmful to a student’s wellbeing. A pamphlet titled “Stress and College Students” on their website states that stress is caused by four primary sources: the environment, physiological functions, personal thoughts, and social stressors. One must identify which of the four is causing their stress in order to treat it effectively. Aspects of one’s identity can also impact the amount of stress that they accumulate. A study done by Professor Daphne Pedersen at the University of North Dakota concluded that gender identity impacts the type of stress that students feel as well as how stress manifests in their sleep patterns and mental health. Furthermore, researchers at the University of Coimbra and Institute Polytechnic of Coimbra found that a student’s “adaptiveness” or “maladaptiveness” to their environment can negatively or positively impact their stress. According to these studies, sense of self and willingness to change is key to overcoming the harmful effects of stress. College administrators should seriously consider investing in programs that help students overcome their stress.