PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

*The photo's not mine

A cross to bear— this is how most students view college life. The constant demands, together with the pressure from other people, can definitely make any individual insane. But aside from the tension that academics bring, extra-curricular activities also put a great weight on one’s already unbearable burden. The piles of homework, projects, and quizzes, when combined with the tasks from non-academic activities can make a person feel overwhelmed. All these boil down to one thing— stress. 

It is a phenomenon experienced by many and is usually attributed to as the main cause of depression. The latter is just one of the many effects that this adaptive response can bring. It is a state of low mood and has a great effect on one’s thoughts and feelings. But aside from that, people who experience stress also undergo physical and behavioral changes because of health complications. Loss of weight, lack of sleep, illnesses, and inclination towards vices are just some of its manifestations. Other physical outcomes would be aches, nausea, pains, and even constipation. The behavioral consequences on the other hand are feelings of isolation, neglect, and aversion to activities. 

Unfortunately, stress does not only affect a person physically or behaviorally. It can also take a toll on an individual’s cognition and emotion. A few examples would be memory problems, poor judgment, moodiness, and agitation. 

Having stress in life is truly unavoidable.  The burden of school works, the pressure from the people around, and even the difficulty of conforming to the society’s standards of a responsible individual all have a great impact on a student who is still trying to adjust to the changes that are happening not only to his surroundings but to his own body and life as well. It may seem normal for everyone is experiencing it but stress, when not given proper action and attention, may lead to drastic outcomes and worst, may even take the precious life of an individual who may possibly be the next great mind in history.