College can be exhausting and may feel like it’s not worth it. We all have been there.
This article features a series of interviews addressing how college students react under stress, including some perspective from one of Kellogg Community College’s counselors. The questions asked were about how students have managed to get through daily life despite being stressed.
Time management is one of the most important parts of doing schoolwork, which is why planning out due dates is important.
Makayla Martel, a freshman at Michigan State University, gave her thoughts on the advice she’d give to fellow college students lacking time management.
“I had a really hard time with this,” Martel said. “I use my phone calendar to track everything. My best advice is to look at your syllabus and stay on top of due dates.”
It can be easy to lose track of time and forget that things are due. For example, sometimes due dates are set on an unexpected day. Following Martel’s advice can ensure success, even if it just means writing due dates down on a planner. Work is better than no work.
Taking breaks is essential. If we work for too long, the work may not come out as complete and good as we think it should be. Proofreading can prevent this, but it is still important to give yourself a break from work.
Joanna Robinson, a junior at MSU, said that when she feels stressed, she takes a break from work.
“I’ll usually play video games, read something totally unrelated to the assignment, or take a nap if all else fails,” Robinson said.
This is an important topic of discussion because students are either spending too much time for themselves or not enough. We need to stay on top of these things to minimize failure, but mistakes will always happen, and that’s okay.
Working for long periods of time can prove to be difficult. We do this daily as college students. But what can be done to prevent us from getting distracted and keep us motivated? The conclusion that came from these interviews was that breaks need to happen and definitely will, but when is the big question.
David Wier, a counselor at KCC, also answered these questions.
“We commit time and energy to things we care about, like school, work, sports, relationships, the list goes on,” Wier said. “Spending these resources can lead us to feel stressed.”
He also shared the importance of time management and work spaces.
“Create a space that’s conducive to how you want to work, where you’re comfortable but less likely to be distracted,” Wier said.
If you are feeling stressed and college seems like too much, please talk to your loved ones or make an appointment to see a KCC counselor or therapist.
KCC counselor appointments can be made via Starfish or by emailing counseling@kellogg.edu or can be made in person on campus.
