Academic Stress Among First-Year Undergraduate College Students: Role of Emotional Intelligence in Coping With Academic Stress

Introduction

A person's time at college is a very important time in their life. These days, everyone's life is marked by stress. Technology, an increasingly competitive environment, and fast-paced lifestyles have caused unneeded stress for people in many walks of life. When it comes to stress, students are also an especially sensitive group of people. It has been observed that the biggest source of stress for students is their academic workload, where they always feel as though there is too much material to learn and that they have trouble comprehending what they are reading. They can't successfully manage their time or finish their responsibilities on time. They worry about not having enough time to review what they have learned and studied, which keeps them preoccupied with grades or reaching milestones as well as the ongoing worry that they won't meet their goals. Maintaining relationships with professors and other students might be challenging for certain students. Additionally, first-year students balance work, study, and personal life. They have to provide for themselves financially while also worrying about the future. They are required to acquire and display abilities like critical analysis, inductive and deductive thinking, and logical reasoning as they move from high school to college so that they can get ready for competition. Stress is primarily caused by students' need to improve their academic performance because pupils can completely express their talents and capacities in line with educational goals through academic success. As a result, it is clear that academic performance is currently a key concern for students, instructors, parents, university officials, and the general public. However, students can learn to deal with and significantly minimise the amount of stress in their lives and enhance their academic performance by mastering the emotional intelligence abilities. The one key element in creating a stress-free environment is effective emotion management. The idea of emotional intelligence has gained a lot of popularity as a measure of a student's knowledge, abilities, and success in college, in the classroom, in their personal lives, and in general. Not only is emotional intelligence important for success in college, but it will also be important in the future for job satisfaction, motivation, and making decisions under pressure. Since emotional intelligence will help students manage stress, cope with academic pressure, and make better decisions, it is clear that higher education must include it. The one key element in creating a stress-free environment is effective emotion management.

The current chapter makes the case that in order to enhance college students' overall performance and mental health, it is vital to pinpoint and address the issues that contribute to stress and poor academic performance. This study strengthens the mounting evidence that, in order to assist students in enhancing their mental and emotional health, emotional intelligence must be included in the college curriculum.