College is supposed to be the best time of our lives. But sometimes it can be less than enjoyable. Getting your education is great, but it comes at a cost. Not only is tuition extremely high, but there are some other costs involved too. The strain it can put on students, physically and mentally, can take huge tolls over the long term.
1. Students are constantly stressed about the homework they have due. There are to enough hours in the day to dedicate the time needed for every class. We all know the negative impacts of stress.. high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.
2. Students often experience anxiety about tests/exams because they (depending on the professor) are such a big percentage of the final grade. Anxiety, if left untreated, can lead to other mental health disorders such as depression.
3. Students sacrifice sleep in order to "add more hours" to the day and complete all of their work and studying. A lack of sleep has negative health benefits such as weight gain, weakened immune system, impaired brain activity, and heart disease.
4. Students eat irregular meals because of class timing and busy schedules. An unhealthy diet can have long run effects like high blood pressure, gallstones, and diabetes.
5. Additionally, students are forced to throw snacks into their bags to eat on the go. These options are often not healthy choices and do not substitute a balanced meal.
6. Speaking of unhealthy, it is difficult to eat a balanced diet on a college campus because of limited options and preferences. The "fast food" options don't make the choice any easier.
7. Students find themselves drinking huge amounts of coffee in order to keep themselves awake for late night studying and early morning classes. Too much coffee can be addictive and lead to worsened anxiety, irregular heart beat, and osteoporosis.
8. To top it off, as if our immune systems aren't already taking a hit from an unhealthy diet and lack of sleep, but we live in dorms with hundreds of students. I like to refer to them as sickness cesspools. Anything that one person catches, is likely to go around.
9. Due to huge advancements in technology, students spend an extremely unhealthy amount of their time in front of a screen. Lasting effects could cause vision problems and chronic neck and back pain.
