New Survey Confirms: College Students Are Stressed

College students are in a weird position. Older people are constantly telling them that they’ve got it easy, and that the “real world” is much harder. And sure, that might be true for some students, but many are facing very real mental, emotional, and financial struggles. As the cost of college continues to skyrocket, student loans are both more prevalent and more expensive than ever before, and 57.7 percent of students in a 2015 survey [PDF] reported feeling “overwhelming anxiety” at least once in the last 12 months. The results of a new survey from MentalHelp.net, shown below, confirm it: Today’s students hardly feel like they're taking it easy.

The survey asked more than 1000 college students about their lives, concerns, and mental health. It also analyzed data from 2.9 million Tweets posted from within one mile of a college campus with 1000–4999 full-time students and within three miles of a campus with more than 5000 full-time students.

Nearly one-third of all the students surveyed said exams were the biggest source of stress in their lives. Another 24 percent said they were most worried about the prospect of graduation and entering a tough job market, while 23 percent said college coursework and homework were top stressors. The bottom line? College may seem like a wonderful time in a person's life, but that doesn't mean it's easy or trouble-free.

Know of something you think we should cover? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com.