All work, no play

Moises Fuertes/Staff Writer 

As a result of the work culture that encompasses students, both with their coursework and the time they put into a job, today’s student life leaves very little time for recreation, relaxation or time with family.

Of the 19.7 million college students in the U.S in 2011, 72 percent of undergraduates worked part-time, according to a US census report, with 20 percent of them working full-time. The same report states that 82 percent of graduate students worked part-time.

This is the face of higher education today, one that has become more difficult as students are given two options: work while studying or accrue debt.

By choosing loans and opting out of the extra workload a job will create, a student risks not having purchasing power come graduation, since a degree doesn’t guarantee a job and paying back loans takes a while. Opting to work while also going to school fulltime can be tricky, though.

As a full-time undergraduate student with a full-time job, I’m busy all the time. My days pass by in a blur; I see my family for quick hellos and on the occasional holiday. The days in which I find myself home are best spent in bed sleeping.

While my busy schedule in no way deters me from my goals, such high levels of activity are not exactly healthy because of the potential lack of sleep it creates.

According to the DRIVE study, a sleep study by the University of Sydney, “sleep duration was linearly associated with prevalent psychological distress.”

The sleep-wake cycle is normally 6.5-7.5 hours. Those that sleep less than the 6.5 norm are referred to as short sleepers.

The results of the study were astonishing. For every hour of sleep lost, psychological distress rose by 5 percent.

Being a university student is an investment in the future, but a job nonetheless. Compiled with an actual job it can create the circumstances for sleep deprivation to occur. Students need to look for such situations and act accordingly. Cramming for an exam the night before isn’t effective, contrary to popular belief.

This is the type of busy life the majority of students live. While it isn’t the worst thing in the world, FIU students–especially the freshman class- need to pay attention to their day to day activities and find the areas that aren’t as important as getting the work done with as little stress as possible.

moises.fuertes@fiusm.com 

Sources:

1. “New Analyses of Census Bureau Data Examine Nation’s 65 and Over Labor Force, Working Students and Changes in Self-Employment,” via United States Census Bureau

2. “Lack of Sleep Linked With Depression, Weight Gain and Even Death,” via Time: Health & Family

3. “SHORT SLEEP DURATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN YOUNG ADULTS,” via journalsleep.org

About Post Author

About the Author

Moises Fuertes
: a Digital Media Studies student at FIU. His productions include audio commercials, video coverage/reviews and still-image projects. He specializes in the video game industry and social media.