College students expect to be challenged in ways that will push them to grow in their area of study, and their professors expect them to rise to those expectations. While nothing is wrong with a little challenge, the problem arises when professors issue what they call “real-life deadlines” which do not have a reasonable place in college-level education. These real-life deadlines aren’t unrealistic on their own, they’re exactly what would be expected in our careers later in life, but when paired with the numerous other papers, projects and readings assigned in other classes things begin to pile up.

Let me define what I mean by “real-life deadlines”. Real-life deadlines are deadlines professors set that represent the amount of time you would be given in the workforce to complete the task. These deadlines range from reasonable to impractical amounts of work. In a work setting where the task is assigned, these would seem like justified practices, but college is not a work setting.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of things a college student has to keep track of and it’s not uncommon to forget regular assignments, but piling on a project or lengthy paper due by the next class takes things into another level. The term “all-nighter” is commonplace on college campuses, when students stay up late into the night to finish the excessive workloads. Sometimes all-nighters really do mean all night, no sleep and begin the next day.

The amount of stress caused by deadlines based on the workplace deteriorates students ability to focus, and suppresses their overall initiative as they are unable to meet the tall demands. Students faced with these unachievable deadlines struggle to build a regular schedule, and many extracurricular activities or hobbies become burdens in addition to the workload.

While professors should definitely challenge their students, perhaps they should try to remain conscious of other commitments the students have from their additional classes, activities, jobs and social lives. Many professors are aware of the epidemic students face when the assignments begin to pile up, but some stand firm in their beliefs of issuing “real-life” deadlines.