Stress?

<p>Are Cornell students really as stressed as they are made out to be? I have even heard it is more stressful than the other Ivies.. Just asking because I don't think I could stand 4 years of extreme stress - I expect to have stressful times, but I don't want it to dominate my college experience.</p>

<p>no (10 characters)</p>

<p>depnds the major, but i don't think you can ask anyone during finals week.</p>

<p>like me, a paper and 4 finals in 5 days...</p>

<p>i think right now, most of my friends and myself are pretty stressed out. i'm in architecture and it can be really stressful at times</p>

<p>every college (sans Miami beach community college, or MBCC) has students stressed during finals. Cornell is no exception, but if you're stressed out all the time during the regular flow of the semester...</p>

<p>My first semester here, it's been alright throughout the year. Around exam times I've felt overwhelmed, like I do right now.</p>

<p>i agree with sashimi. architecture can turn out to be architorture at times. really stressful...days without sleep...</p>

<p>i'm in AEM which is considered to be a less difficult major at Cornell and i'm still stressed as hell. its not easy anywhere</p>

<p>gomestar- 22 credits with design studio and outside commitments (i take two leadership positions)....you bet it can be stressful most of the time</p>

<p>It's definitely manageable...altho I'm stressed as hell right now b/c it's finals. But I was scared too when I was coming and now I have just morphed to the lifestyle and am doing great. It's definitely doable (altho certain paths like architecture n premed are really stressful)</p>

<p>How stressful is engineering? I know it's pretty hard and a lot of work, but is it killer? Will I be pulling all nighters every week? Every day?</p>

<p>Here's a somewhat pertinent question with regard to the topic: do students find the dorms to be sufficiently quiet to study and sleep? Are any of the dorms notoriously louder than others (and thus worth avoiding)?</p>

<p>Lol. Engineering can be VERY stressful.</p>

<p>You shouldn't have to pull all nighters every week if you don't procrastinate. But expect 20-40 hours of homework every week. Plus class.</p>

<p>I think that only some part of the actual stress here is actually necessary. I talked about this with a few friends (two of whom are physics majors) and we came to the conclusion that stress here is a self-fulfilled prophecy- you come in here knowing Cornell's reputation and knowing that it's supposed to be really hard and that you're supposed to stress out a lot, so... you do. It's as if stress should be such a natural part of the environment here that being really stressed out feels natural/like the norm. By extension, lots of people really take pride in how much work they have to do, and conversations about work can even become like a competition (really? you have an exam on Monday? Well, I have an exam <em>and</em> a problem set!) This is a difficult school, and you work more here than you did in high school (that's as much as I can objectively measure), but I strongly doubt that all the stress that exists here is necessary.</p>

<p>ive found for most people its not the workload but rather the fear of failure that makes them stressed. for obvious and understandable reasons, people want A's and they are not always easy to come by, so they feel like they have to study more and more and more to succeed. </p>

<p>imho, if you study hella hard, and then only worry about doing your best, i find, you wont be as stressed. but as was stated above, this happens around exam time mainly, and if you think cornellians are perpetually stressed i think that's generally incorrect (im sure there are some that are). the general vibe ive gotten is that the first 3-4 weeks of the semester is party time</p>

<p>"gomestar- 22 credits with design studio and outside commitments (i take two leadership positions)....you bet it can be stressful most of the time"</p>

<p>most people here don't do that and the OP asked about most people.</p>

<p>yeah i cringe when i hear people talking about how they have more than 20 credits? it's like seriously? you did this to yourself so shut your mouth.</p>

<p>but having 20 credits (especially in architecture) isnt like we are taking 10 courses. studio in itself counts for 6 credits, though it should equal more...studio takes over your life!</p>

<p>for the most part, the normal student has 17 credits tops. everyone will get stressed at certain points of the year. each of five classes typically has 2-3 prelims or papers etc and maybe a project due at the end of the semester. when you get a week with more than one exam you will probably be stressed. or if you are taking finals, like now. otherwise, not so bad. expect about one large assignment per week and a couple little ones (reading, problem set, etc) starting after the first 3 weeks of school.</p>

<p>I have found I am less stressed here than I was in high school. Granted, I am a freshman, and this was a light semester. However, I have found that the overall lifestyle in college, even at Cornell, is an improvement over what it was in my competitive public high school IB program. While I am just as devoted to academics as I was all through high school, my schedule here is much less ridiculous: no more waking up at 5:30, commuting to school, getting there at 7, class until 2:10, extracurriculars until 4:30, and doctors' appointments all the time, home by 6, work till midnight, lather-rinse-repeat. </p>

<p>I'm working just as hard here, but I also have time to get a good eight hours of sleep every night (first time since sixth grade? Thanks, magnet schools), exercise six days a week, and unwind on the weekends. I have no complaints. I do bust my ass, but I don't consider myself stressed; this is true of many Cornellians I know.</p>