HOW OVERWHELMED ARE TODAY’S FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS? A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DATA 30 th Annual Conference Babson College n the First Year Experience Rob Major & Kate Tippo (Research Assistant: Penny Phoon ‘13) onday, February 07, 2011
Introduction Rob Major, Associate Dean/ Interim Director of Academic Services Kate Tippo, Program majorr@babson.edu Manager – First Year Programs ktippo@babson.edu
What does overwhelm really mean ? Worry Unease Concern “T o Overpower in thought and feeling” -Merriam Webster Depression Tired Anxiety Stress "overwhelmed." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2011. Merriam-Webster Online. 20 January 2011 <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overwhelmed>
First Year National Data 2005-2008 45 40 35 30 Since entering 25 college, students felt overwhelmed by all Percentage of Student's Response 20 they had to do 15 Since entering college, students felt 10 depressed 5 0 2005 Year CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2005-2008)
First Year National Data 2009-2010 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 Percentage of Student's Response 2009 2010 0.2 0.1 0 Frequently Response CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2009-2010)
College Student Depression During college, “students deal with a unique amount of stressors” New Lifestyle Friends Roommates Exposure to new cultures Alternate ways of thinking Using psychiatric medication, prescribed before college. 1. T artakovsky, Margarita. "Depression and Anxiety Among College Students." (2008): n. pag. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/depression-and-anxiety-among-college-students/>. 2. Lewin, T amar. "Record Level of Stress Found in College Freshmen." (2011): n. pag. Web. 1 Feb 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/education/27colleges.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes>.
College Student Depression New Lifestyle Susceptible to Friends Roommates depression and Exposure to new anxiety cultures Alternate Ways of thinking T artakovsky, Margarita. "Depression and Anxiety Among College Students." (2008): n. pag. Web. 20 Jan 2011. <http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/depression-and-anxiety- among-college-students/>.
Students seeking counseling 70 60 Since entering 50 college, students have sought personal 40 counseling Percentage of Student's Response 30 Since entering college, students 20 have received emotional support or 10 encouragement from professors. 0 2005 Year CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2005-2008)
The Cycle of Student’s Emotional Health Overwhelme Depressed Students more d Students Students likely to visit personal counseling
Reasons for Counseling Services Vulnerability in the world Virginia T ech Situation; 9/11 tragedies; War in Afghanistan Recession Loans Unstable Job Market Right Major to get the Right Job Sacrifjcing what they would love to do (2010): n. pag. Web. 29 Jan 2011. <http://www.citytowninfo.com/career- and-education-news/articles/more-college-students-seeking-counseling- 10012501>.
Are student’s justifjed to use the term “overwhelmed”? Overwhelmed? Online Social Media Socializing Partying
Since entering this college, how much time have students spent during a typical week on online social networks? 35 30 25 20 15 2010 10 Percentage of Student Response 2009 5 2008 0 2007 Number of Hours CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2007-2010)
Efgects of the increase use of online social networks Intimidated to interact with professors face to face Impersonal e-mails Reliance of online social networks Ban on social media = miserable/anxious/jittery “T exting and IM-ing my friends give me a constant feeling of comfort” 1. Puglisi, Megan . "Social networking hurts the communication skills of college students." (2010): n. pag. Web. 29 Jan 2011. <http://www.thedaonline.com/opinion/social-networking-hurts-the-communication-skills-of-college-students- 1.1689315#;>. 2. "College Students Addicted T o Social Media." (2010): n. pag. Web. 26 Jan 2011. <http://www.citytowninfo.com/career-and-education-news/articles/college-students-addicted-to-social-media-
Since entering this college, how much time have students spent during a typical week socializing with friends? 30 25 20 2005 2006 15 2007 2008 10 Percentage of Student Response 2009 2010 5 0 Number of hours CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2005-2010)
College Learning Assessment "The fjrst year of college is all about socializing and getting involved in Studying; 7% difgerent clubs and Attending Class; 9% organizations," Widener said. "Ohio State really Working, volunteering, student clubs; 9% tries to push us to fjnd the Socializing; 51% balance between our social life and our studies." Sleeping; 24% Bradley, Thomas. "First two years of college full of socializing, not learning." (2011): n. pag. Web. 29 Jan 2011. <http://www.thelantern.com/campus/report-fjrst-two-years-of- college-full-of-socializing-not-learning-1.1913169>.
Since entering this college, how much time have students spent during a typical week partying? 35 30 25 20 2010 15 2009 10 Percentage of Student's Response 2008 5 2007 0 2006 2005 Number of Hours CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2005-2010)
Partying = Relief Students use partying as a relief mechanism Higher level of stress = poorer judgment of: Time management Alcohol consumption Academic Motivation Klein, Alana. "Incoming college students rate emotional health at record low, annual survey fjnds." (2011): n. pag. Web. 30 Jan 2011. <http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/incoming-college-students-self-191135.aspx>. Stafgord, Diane. "College freshmen’s stress levels intensifying, study fjnds." (2011): n. pag. Web. 1 Feb 2011. <http://www.kansascity .com/2011/01/27/2615990/college-freshmens-stress-levels.html#>.
Since entering this college, how much time have you spent during a typical week studying and doing homework? 40 35 30 25 20 2010 15 2009 Percentage of Student Response 10 2008 5 2007 0 2006 2005 Number of Hours CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2005-2008)
Study Hours “These days is not that students are lazy, but that they are too busy — busier than previous generations of Stanford students.” Part time jobs/internships Volunteer Leadership positions 33% of students struggle with one problem: they simply do not know how to sit down and study (2008 Survey in the University of California system) O'Brien, Keith. "What happened to studying?." (2010): n. pag. Web. 1 Feb 2011. <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/07/04/what_happ ened_to_studying/?page=2>.
Quote from a First Year “I felt extremely overwhelmed in high school. Academic, social, sports, and family pressures are often overwhelming . I am coping with all I need to do but barely, life is still very stressful and at times overwhelming, without an efgective and organized structure, it would all overwhelm me.”
Quote from a First Year “It’s defjnitely difgerent in a college environment, now that I am on my own . A daily planner and calendar defjnitely helps to see what evaluations and works are coming up. Whereas in high school, the teachers keep in touch with the student; in Babson it is very important to keep in touch with the professors; make it known to them any issues I may be facing etc… I guess it breaks down to the things I want are no longer coming to me, I have to go get them now.”
The Next Step Increase awareness of this “phenomena” The entire college community needs to be educated Stafg Faculty Professors Parents Continue commitment to research, to discuss and to evaluate our student’s perceived notion of overwhelmed
Thank you! Any Questions or Comments?
Supplement • Comparison of female and male • Stress Levels • Overwhelmed • Financial stress
Since entering college, students felt overwhelmed by all they need to do (breakdown of men and women) 60 50 40 30 Percentage of Student's Response Men 20 Women 10 0 Year CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2005-2008)
Since entering college, students felt depressed by all they need to do (breakdown of men and women) 18 16 14 12 10 8 Percentage of Student's Response Men 6 Women 4 2 0 Year CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2005-2008)
Comparison of Females and Male in 2009 Not at all; 2.3% Not at all; 10.6% Frequently; 28.4% Frequently; 45.7% Occasionally; 52.0% Occasionally; 61.0% CIRP: Your First Year College Year Survey. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute , UCLA. (2009)
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