#13 Peer Interview for the “Mental Health Mentoring Series”

Sophomore at UC Davis majoring in Human Development, and graduate of Gunn High School in 2024

In high school, what was your overall stress or anxiety level from a scale of 1-3:  2 - Medium

In college, what is your overall stress or anxiety level from 1-3: 2 - Medium

What contributed to your stress or anxiety in high school?  Worrying about grades mostly.

What contributes to your stress or anxiety in college?  Being a college athlete mostly.

What were your favorite high school activity(ies)?  Water Polo, hanging-out with friends, etc.

What are your favorite college activity(ies)?  Biking, going on walks, coloring, hiking, and being with friends. 

How have pressures you faced in high school differ from your experience in college? 

High school felt like stress in the moment or short term whereas now I feel more stress for the future.

How have your social relationships changed from high school to college or beyond? 

I’m still close friends with people from high school, but only get to see them every so often.  I love that I can live with all my friends in college.

How have your studying habits or approaches changed from high school to college?  

In college, I never study inside my room and always start studying for something at least 5 days or more in advance for exams.  

When you are stressed or anxious, what techniques, rituals, or ways do you manage

Walking, hiking, or calling friends or my family to talk it out, which is helpful.

What do you think high school students misunderstand or get wrong about college life?

In college, your education is on you now. Nobody is going to hold you accountable to do your work and go to class. But, you can use this to your benefit with more autonomy and independence.

Knowing what you know now, if you were back in high school, what might you do differently? 

I wouldn’t change much from my high school except I might take more elective classes so I can get outside my comfort zone.

What would be your best overall advice to high school students? 

Take classes you like, care about the work you’re doing, but don’t let the work be life ending if it’s not perfect and enjoy the journey.