Stress and college students with jobs

Abstract

This study explored the experiences of stress in third level college students who have jobs and then compared them to the experiences of third level students who have no jobs. It was conducted from the student's perspective. The aim of the study was to identify a key area, which may be causing stress to third level college students. The quantitative research method in the form or questionnaires was used. The ftrst questionnaire sought demographic details of each participant. the second questionnaire consisted of ten questions, which required the choice of one of four statements response. The participants had to choose one of the following responses, almost always, very often, seldom, never. The ten questions qtiickly evaluated how overwhelmed or stressed the student perceives him or herself to be. The research was carried out on two campuses, campus A and campus B in a third level college in Ireland. Students on campus A studied Art and Design subjects and the students on campus B studied Civil Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Automation or Robotics, or Video and Sound Technology. There were two hundred participants, ftfty fIrst year students from each campus and ftfty third year students from each campus. The conclusions drawn were that the majority of all students (55.72% who had jobs and 62.75% who had no jobs) are stressed almost always or very often and that a significant number of students (7.03%) who have jobs are more stressed than students who do not have jobs. All students on campus A are more stressed than students on campus B. A number of recommendations are made to improve the situation and to raise the quality of support to college students who are overwhelmed or stressed.