Anyone can tell you that college is exhausting. We're busy, and we never stop. Most of us have to balance academics, one or two jobs and extracurricular activities. It's not an easy task. When the school year is over and summer is finally here, most of us don't slow down. We go off to summer jobs, classes and internships.
I'm here to shed some light on the serious issues of sleep deprivation and time management coming from a college student herself.
First let me say that I have anxiety, and I am prescribed medication to try and control it. My first semester of college, I really struggled with my anxiety, and even today, I still find myself overwhelmed by the many responsibilities I have. I'm telling you this so maybe you can connect and better understand that what I say is true and that I understand the struggles of college on a first-hand basis.
I think it's extremely important for people to understand that not all college students are lazy. Just because we are tired, doesn't mean we don't care. We are constantly on the go and we rarely ever get enough sleep. Speaking of sleep, according to research done by Brown University 73% of students were found to have sleep problems. Not only that, but at least 30% of college women and 18% of college men suffered from some sort of insomnia in the past three months. This is a serious issue because sleep is essential for a person's health. Without the proper amount of sleep, an individual's immune system weakens and allows sicknesses into the body. As most college students know, once a sickness starts it spreads all across campus.
How can we fix this issue? Well, maybe a little better time management would solve it. The transition from high school to college is stressful and a big change for some people. Mom and dad aren't there to tell you when to do your homework or when to study. At first I was really good with time management, but shortly I began to get more involved and things kinda got crazy. The only thing that truly kept me organized and on track was my planner. COLLEGE STUDENTS PLEASE INVEST IN ONE OF THESE. They are literally life savers. Even with a busy schedule, leave yourself enough time to relax and unwind at the end of the day. Make sure to give yourself a break and REST (do NOT pull an all nighter).
My second semester of college is coming to an end, and some of the most important lessons I've learned so far is that sleep is your friend, naps are great, and staying up those extra five hours studying probably won't help you in the long run.
So to answer the question: are college students really that tired? Yes, yes we are. Give us a break and when the weekend comes PLEASE let us sleep late.
