Spend 45-60 minutes planning and writing a brief (500 words or so) essay in response to the ideas discussed below. Use the information provided in the prompt to guide your thinking and organize your thoughts into an argument that includes at least two supporting points. The essay you write should reflect your best effort to produce a clear, organized, and focused response to the prompt. Your audience is a professor in an introductory psychology class that you are taking.
Research indicates that mental health issues like anxiety are on the rise for college students across the United States. In a March 2018 Time Magazine article, journalist Katie Reilly cites research from the American College Health Association which found that “In spring 2017 . . . 61% of students said they had ‘felt overwhelming anxiety’ in the same time period.” Reilly goes on to list some sources of this anxiety. She quotes a college student athlete who says, “I was running myself so thin trying to be the best college student . . . It almost seems like they’re setting you up to fail because of the sheer amount of work and amount of classes you have to take at the same time, and how you’re also expected to do so much.” As this quote demonstrates, the overwhelming pressure is leaving many students in need of help to manage their stress levels.
Oakland University has tried to address the increasing stress of students on our own campus. A March 13, 2016 article in The Oakland Post suggests various strategies for reducing stress, including petting dogs at Kresge Library during finals week, getting exercise at the Campus Recreation Center, meditation, eating well, and getting enough sleep (Bomar).
What are your ideas about the causes of anxiety among college students today, from your own experience and the ideas in Bomar’s and Reilly’s articles? What are some best practices and specific initiatives that universities can pursue to help treat the causes and symptoms of these mental health problems that so many students experience? How do you manage stress, and what are some resources on campus that you might use if they were available?
Remember that this writing sample is not a free-write, brainstorm, or personal journal entry. The essay you write should reflect your best effort to produce a clear, focused response within the period allowed. You should reserve some time to edit and proofread your work before you submit your essay. This writing sample will be used to identify strengths and weaknesses in your writing so that we can set goals for improving your writing this semester.
Works Cited
Bomar, Alexus. “Furry Friends Can Help with Stress.” The Oakland Post,
13 Mar. 2016, oaklandpostonline.com/1114/life/furry-friends-can-help-with-stress.
Reilly, Katie. “Record Numbers of College Students Are Seeking Treatment for Depression and Anxiety — But Schools Can’t Keep Up.” Time, 19 Mar. 2018 http://time.com/5190291/anxiety-depression-college-university-students
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