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College is often thought of as an exciting time with new freedoms and independence. However, over the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of college students experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety.

In a study conducted by The American Institute of Stress, eight out of 10 college students said they experience “frequent stress,” while 63% of students also reported high levels of anxiety, according to the American College Health Association.

Of course, there are certain factors that inevitably lead to stress. This can include coursework, students experiencing homesickness or simply the abrupt change of scenery. Although, if these factors have always been present in the lives of college students, they likely don’t account for the recent uptick in stress and anxiety. So what is causing this alarming increase?

“I think the biggest cause is social media,” said Riley Ahern, a senior at Colorado State University. “When you think about the amount of time an average college student spends on their phone each day, it’s mind blowing.”

The average college student spends nearly two hours on social media every day. Not only is that time they could be spending on their studies, but it also leaves them susceptible to the negative effects of social media, such as the fear of missing out, disrupted sleep and constantly comparing themselves to others.

“Things like Instagram and Snapchat get you to compare your life with the people you are seeing on the screen,” Ahern said. “If you’re in a completely new environment with new people, these constant comparisons are bound to have a huge effect on your mental health.”

Financial burdens are another big stressor for students, with undergraduate college students graduating with an average of $33,448 in student loan debt. The cost of attending a university is exponentially higher now than it was 20 to 30 years ago, and this forces many students to work long hours while having a full course load.

“College offers endless opportunities for its students; however, the newfound freedom in college can lead students to partake in things that harm their mental health. It’s important to consciously establish habits that allow you to stay in control of your responsibilities.”  

Although stress has always been present in college students, surveys from the American Addiction Centers suggest the coping mechanisms used by college students today tend to perpetuate this stress rather than reduce it.

“On the individual level, reducing your stress comes down to replacing bad coping habits with good ones,” Ahern said. “Social media, alcohol and drugs take the stress away in the short term, but they usually make things much worse over time.”

So what do effective coping mechanisms look like for college students? Garrison Unis, a junior at Colorado State University majoring in addiction psychology, has years of experience studying this topic in class and in his personal life.

“It’s really easy to get in a rhythm of relying on vices to help you get through the week or even the day,” Unis said. “Especially when you first enter college, there’s no one guiding you or telling you what to do, so it’s really appealing to do the short-term fixes.”

Unis participated in these short-term fixes until he decided to make a change in his junior year of college.

“It started pretty small,” Unis said. “Before I went to bed, I began writing a list of the things I needed to do for the next day. This ensured that I wasn’t neglecting any of my responsibilities and it helped me feel in control of my life.”

Unis then explained how good habits started building off of one another.  

“Within two weeks of making my change, I had established a consistent sleep schedule and had started working out every day,” Unis said. “I became so much happier when I became disciplined.” 

College offers endless opportunities for its students; however, the newfound freedom in college can lead students to partake in things that harm their mental health. It’s important to consciously establish habits that allow you to stay in control of your responsibilities.  

Reach Jack Miller at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @millerjack02.