The High Cost of Academic Stress: Why Performance Pressure Weighs on Students

Insights by Cynthia Vejar

For many college students, the pursuit of success can feel like a full-time job layered on top of an already full-time job. From exams and scholarships to balancing friendships and part-time work, academic life often brings a constant undercurrent of pressure.

Cynthia Vejar, director and associate professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lebanon Valley College, sees these struggles daily. She explains that perfectionism and work-life balance are two of the most common sources of academic stress. "Many students hold themselves to impossibly high standards and struggle when they can't meet them. At the same time, they're juggling academics with jobs, relationships, family responsibilities, and extracurriculars, all of which makes balance difficult to maintain."

Stress is an inevitable part of higher education-but it becomes harmful when it stops being occasional and becomes a relentless cycle. According to Vejar, this pressure often takes a deeper toll than students realize. "Performance pressure and mental health go hand-in-hand. The concept of perfectionism is unattainable, and if someone is constantly chasing something that doesn't exist, they will be in a perpetual state of dissatisfaction. This may impact their sense of self and make them question if they are in the right field altogether."

The constant chase for perfect grades or résumé-worthy achievements can make setbacks feel catastrophic, leaving students more vulnerable to burnout and self-doubt. Some level of academic stress is normal-finals week, for example, is likely to be intense. But Vejar points out that a warning sign arises when the pressure never lets up. "A healthy academic life has an ebb and flow-intense weeks, like finals, balanced by low-key periods where students can rest and recharge. When stress becomes constant, with little to no respite, it's a warning sign of burnout." Withdrawal from friends, irritability, sleep disruptions, and loss of joy in hobbies are just a few of the red flags.

Students often believe that thriving academically requires sacrificing mental health-but Vejar insists the opposite is true. Building in moments of self-care can actually fuel long-term success. "Schedule self-care into your calendar the same way you would schedule a class or meeting," she advises. "If it's not written down, it's easy to push aside. Protecting those small pockets of joy and rest helps sustain long-term academic success." Whether that means setting aside time for exercise, practicing mindfulness, or simply making space for a hobby, the key is treating rest as non-negotiable.

Finally, Vejar challenges one of the most destructive myths students believe: that success requires excelling academically, socially, and professionally all at once. "Doing it all is a myth," she emphasizes. "We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week. Decide what matters most to you in this chapter of your life, and give yourself permission to let go of things that aren't a priority. Success is about sustainability, not perfection."

College is meant to be a time of growth-not just in knowledge, but in self-understanding. Vejar's advice offers both validation and a path forward for students struggling with academic stress: balance, sustainability, and self-compassion matter just as much as GPA.