Study Freaks Need to Find a Balance

Bookworms and A-students may be able to flash a winning report card to admissions directors and employers, but high marks lose their value when they are not accompanied with the social skills necessary to succeed in the workforce. These studious perfectionists are only setting themselves up for failure in the future. A balance between social and academic affairs is crucial to successful life post-graduation. Instead of pulling a nightly 4-hour study session, these students need to get out into the world and experience life, not only relying on the description of a textbook. Without the proper life-skills, these students will realize that success after school will not be an easy “A”.
Academic stress among high-school and college students can have lasting effects. To relieve stress, many students turn to binge drinking, smoking, and stimulant abuse to take the edge off their stressful schedules. The American Journal of Health Studies surveyed 249 undergraduate students in 2000 concerning stress-level, time management, and health issues.This study revealed that much of the stress was “self-imposed” due to “changes, conflict and frustration. This study also covered the physiological effects of leisure activities, and many reported that they experienced no physiological changes after leisure time. Two main stressors found in this study were pressure to complete school work and the learning process as a whole. Behavioral stressors did not appear as often as what the study dubbed self-imposed and school-related stressors.
These types of stressors can—and have been proven to—lead to drastic escape measures such as acting out, becoming withdrawn and in the most extreme cases: suicide. According to another study conducted by The Boston Globe, 11 undergraduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) had committed suicide since 1990. This averages to be about one student per year when the study was conducted in 2000. MIT’s undergraduate suicide rates are the highest in the nation according to the study.
Often some under the stress to compete with other students for top marks will resort to academic dishonesty. In a survey conducted by the Electronic Journal of Sociology—sent to more than 15,000 students at 31 major universities—found that over 60 percent admitted cheating at least once. Many resort to cheating on tests or plagiarizing entire papers to get the competitive edge they need for a higher rank.
Any over-achieving student will tell you that their disciplined techniques will pay off in the long run. That student would be wrong. Becoming overly-stressed can actually have negative effects on your marks. Stress affects your health, which in turn will affect your ability to participate in classes and studying. It is almost guaranteed that an unhealthy student will not be giving 100% in all of their courses, leading to lower marks and in turn more stress. Stress also affects memory retention, meaning those six-hour cram-jams are all but worthless.
Though most will agree that academic performance is a major deciding factor in one’s future, there is a limit to how much pressure one can take before breaking. Keeping a balance between social and academic affairs is crucial to becoming a well-rounded student, which is what college admissions officers and employers are really looking for. It’s great to have unscathed “A’s” all through your academic career, but not so beneficial if you do not also have the social and civic skill to carry yourself through the working world.
Okay students, time to review. Too much stress can lead to lasting health affects as well as affect your grades poorly. So, put that study guide away and go for a jog. Call your grandmother. Experience life and you will be a success. After all, it’s not the letters on your transcript that decide who you are.