Student grades are decreasing as stress is increasing

By Rhiannon Lotze

November is mid-term month and as stress for students in post-secondary schools increases, their grades begin to decrease, according to a study by the American College Health Association and National College Health Assessment.

In 2013, the ACHA-NCHA II surveyed 38, 171 Canadian students in post-secondary school institutions. The survey found that, from a list of 31 factors that have had a negative impact on student grades, the one that had the most impact on grades was stress.

According to the survey results from the ACHA-NCHA II, over 38 per cent of students reported that stress was the biggest factor in their grades decreasing. Following that, anxiety was listed as the second biggest reason for a decrease in grades, at 28.4 per cent.

Ana Henriquez, 18, is a first year student at St. Clair College and has experienced the negative effect that stress has on her grades.

“I get really stressed out and I don’t sleep a lot,” said Henriquez. “I start slacking off and don’t work on assignments… It’s just too much to handle.”

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, some stress is a good thing as it motivates and focuses people. However, when a person experiences too much stress, it becomes a detriment. When a person is too stressed they begin to feel overwhelmed, sad and as if there is no solution to the issues they face that are causing the stress.

The findings presented in the survey by the ACHA-NCHA II report that, in the 12 months prior to taking the survey, 68.5 per cent of students felt very sad and 56.5 per cent of students felt overwhelming anxiety.

The feelings of sadness, anxiety and being overwhelmed can also negatively affect more than just students’ grades. They can also affect their exercise, diet and performance at work. According to a list organized by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Starbucks Coffee Canada is one of the top employers for students. Aaron Grundy, 29, is an assistant store manager at Starbucks.

“Usually you can tell (when they’re stressed). You can see it in their faces and their body language,” said Grundy. “Around exam time you can tell, when people start being a little less friendly.” Grundy also said that a few issues arise in terms of work performance because the student employees are stressed.

According to Statistics Canada, being stressed can also create further health problems, including heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. A helpline for post-secondary students dealing with stress launched in October 2013. To contact them, call 1-866-925-5454.