Honestly, as a final-year student, I can confidently say that school can be very stressful. There are days when everything just feels like too much, and I get completely tired of the whole routine. At times like that, all I want to do is stop going to classes and just stay in my room, away from everything and everyone. It is not because I am lazy or I don’t care about my education, but because the stress that comes with it can be overwhelming.
The truth is that school is a place where different kinds of pressure meet you at the same time. You can be dealing with family issues, financial problems, and even your own personal worries, yet you are still expected to show up for a class that holds as late as 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and be fully attentive. I remember during my 300 level when things were really difficult for me financially. There were periods when I did not even have enough money to feed properly, and that alone affected my mood, my strength, and my ability to concentrate. At that point, reading became very hard because my mind was not settled.
That was when I started missing some classes. I had about 13 courses in that session, and many of them were borrowed courses. It was already stressful trying to cope with the ones in my department, so adding courses that were not directly related to my field made it even more difficult. At some point, I was no longer focused on studying to understand. My main goal was just to pass the exams. I would look for notes from classmates, read only what was necessary, and move on. I believe this is the reality for so many students, even though most people do not talk about it.
Sometimes, I honestly feel that one thing that could reduce the stress students face is to cut down some of these extra courses. For instance, I am studying agriculture, so having to offer a borrowed course in law that is not really connected to my discipline makes everything more stressful. I understand that the school wants students to be well-rounded, but the workload can be too much, especially when you are already struggling with other aspects of life.
It is so draining, and if I am being completely honest, there are days when the only reason I keep pushing myself to attend classes and write exams is because I do not want to disappoint my parents. They have sacrificed a lot for me to be in school, and that alone keeps me going even when I feel exhausted.
That is the reality for me and for many other students. We keep showing up, not because it is easy, but because we have no other choice and we still want a better future for ourselves.