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

Freshman at Purdue University majoring in Psychology, 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:  3 - High

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

What contributed to your stress or anxiety in high school?  Academic pressure, constant comparison to classmates, heavy workload, pressure to get good grades for college, balancing school with social life.

What contributes to your stress or anxiety in college?  Being far from home and living independently, getting good grades, personal pressure to do well in classes, competing for jobs and internships, making big decisions for my future career.  

What were your favorite high school activity(ies)?  Attending and running clubs, homecoming week, and sports (swimming and cross country). 

What are your favorite college activity(ies)?  Joining clubs and organizations, going to sports games.  

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

In high school, I mainly felt the pressure to stack my schedule with challenging courses and immerse myself in a variety of extracurriculars, all with the main goal of getting into a college. Most AP classes I took were more for the rigor rather than personal interest, so it ended up feeling tedious. That said, it was hard not to compare myself with classmates who did much more than me. In college, I feel more relieved because I get to make more of my own personal choices and there's less of a comparison aspect. There's a lot more flexibility, as I get to choose my own classes and schedule. Everything feels more individualized, as everyone is on different career paths.  

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

Social relationships in college are more diverse, and I've definitely met more people in college than in high school. I realize it's all about the effort you put in. If someone doesn't make an effort to reach out every once in a while, you may never see the person in college again.  

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

Not much, I still study a good amount. I study whenever I have free time and on weekends.

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

I plan a study session with friends or go to the gym to energize myself.

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

The expectation that everyone has their life together and knows exactly what they want to do in college. 

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

Pursue activities I actually enjoy.  

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

Don't overload yourself with work and do things you enjoy---not just because it may look good on college apps and others are doing it. In the end, it will be more rewarding and less draining. Surround yourself with quality friendships. Don't let other people's opinions get in the way.