Student Voice data indicates that exams, balancing school and work obligations, writing papers, and receiving poor grades are among the biggest academic stresses for students. Pressure to perform well also remains a top issue.
Non-traditional students tend to have clearer goals and priorities for their career than their traditional college-age peers, helping them remain on track toward graduation. Yet non-traditional students still face immense pressure to perform well in a highly focused environment.
1. Know Yourself
To manage academic pressure effectively, it is first essential that you gain an understanding of yourself and your worth as an individual. Stressful academic situations may include comparison with peers or competing against students in your course, as well as desiring to enter an elite profession that requires specific grades for admission.
Non-traditional students tend to arrive at university with a clear idea of their goals for career and life, which can help them successfully manage academic pressure and achieve academic success. Furthermore, non-traditional students bring life experience that they can leverage toward furthering their education, such as leadership qualities like communication and problem-solving abilities.
Striking a balance between school and life can be an uphill battle for any student, but especially non-traditional students. They have many responsibilities outside of studying that can pull away time from studying and making good grades - creating anxiety and creating unnecessary stress. Therefore, it's crucial for them to remember they're not alone on this journey.
2. Self-compassion
Researchers have discovered that those who practice self-compassion tend to be less critical of themselves, more accepting of their flaws, and more likely to engage in adaptive behaviors like seeking help (Neff, Hseih & Dejitthirat 2005). Furthermore, such individuals are better at shifting attention away from worry or rumination and towards the present moment.
Self-compassion is a complex concept with three overlapping components: self-kindness versus self-judgment, common humanity versus isolation, and mindfulness (Neff, 2003a). Future research might use standardized experimental designs to investigate whether training one of these aspects increases state levels for both aspects or whether improvements in one aspect spill over into others.
One simple way to practice self-compassion is writing yourself an encouraging letter. Here are several examples, along with a more in-depth walk-through from Greater Good in Action. Writing can help alleviate worry, reduce ruminating thoughts and foster feelings of connectedness to the world.
3. Get Help
Non-traditional students bring with them an abundance of life experience to their academic pursuits, which can help them be more focused and motivated while at school; helping them appreciate why what they are doing matters more broadly than previously imagined.
However, their experiences can lead to higher expectations and pressure from themselves and others, making it harder for them to cope with academic pressure in a healthy manner. This may result in unhealthy coping behaviors such as substance use, doomscrolling or procrastination.
Traditional students find the transition from high school to college easier, while non-traditional ones face many hurdles that make life difficult. Balancing family, work and financial obligations with studies often leads to stress that affects performance in class; anticipatory stress may prove particularly challenging to cope with as it causes feelings of uncertainty about what lies ahead in their futures.
4. Find Balance
To effectively manage academic pressure, students must remain realistic regarding their lifestyle and goals. Graduating within four years may be a fantastic goal - many schools make money pushing students toward this end - but that may not be feasible for every student. Therefore, setting short-term and long-term goals as well as creating backup plans should things change is crucial. For example, if a family vacation conflicts with classes, be sure to familiarize yourself with your college's hardship withdrawal policy so you can adjust plans without negatively affecting your GPA.
Life events may be challenging for nontraditional students, yet that shouldn't prevent you from continuing your education. Your life experiences could actually help you thrive in class! With an organized plan and motivation for success, you can manage academic pressures effectively - just remember to be kind to yourself and take time for self-care!
