Going around campus I challenged myself to interview at least 2 people that I did not know. I found my first interviewee, my friend, in the Perkins east lounge. My first question was, “how are you?” this opens up the conversation and can sometimes invoke a deeper response. He told me that he was doing well but, “I am very busy and stressed, I have an English paper due on Friday and an Anatomy test on the same day!”. I could feel that he was tense and worried about getting his paper done and making sure it was completes well. There was a tinge of urgency in his voice as he was trying to convince himself he would be okay. I then asked if this feeling was just a one time feeling, or if this is every week for him. He told me that this is a common occurrence for him to be stressed and overwhelmed.

I then interviewed one of his friends that came to join us who I had not met. His answer was very similar, stating that “every week I stay up until at least 1 in the morning trying to study and finish my work.”. This astonished me as I rarely allow myself to be doing work that late, although all of my classes are usually over by 2:30. I feel that this constant stress and workload does not aid in our studies but only hurts our ability to focus and take in new information.

Next I journeyed over to my dorm’s common room on the 1st floor. Here I met two new interviewees. I proceeded to learn more about them and their lives before finally asking about their workload, and if they constantly feel stressed due to classes. Not to my surprise their responses were consistent with what I had previously seen. These students were both in the nursing program and felt that not only were there too many assignments, but their teachers did not seem to have any regard. They both spoke of one teacher who consistently hands out study guides for the exams, but the guides are focusing on the wrong material. They said that “none of the information on the study guide is ever on the test, and when we ask about it we are told “welcome to college” so what are we supposed to do?”. I am shocked that a teacher would provide incorrect information and then proceed to tell you that you should get over it. 

Moving back to my room, I decided that my roommate would make for a nice final interviewee. I wish his answers to my questions differed from the others, but unsurprisingly he was encountering the same difficulties. Constantly stressed out and working, I can attest that he also works until about 12 to 1 in the morning on most nights. He is constantly studying and rarely leaves our dorm other than to go get food.

In conclusion, these interviews allowed me to learn more about stress and its involvement in our college lives.