ENGL 301 BLOG

To: Dr. Erika Paterson

From: Karen Okoyomon

Date: October 15, 2021

Subject: [Revised] Proposal for reducing anxiety and improving wellbeing of UBC Students

Audience: This proposal is intended for Matt Dolf, the director of Wellbeing Strategy at UBC and the Health and Wellbeing Student Services office at UBC. This department is in charge of the wellbeing of students, and are able to implement the changes covered in the proposal below.

Introduction

At UBC, many students spend multiple hours per day studying for their exams. In university there is immense pressure for students to not only pass their classes, but also to perform highly in in them. Test anxiety is a problem that many students face. The stress of having an entire course’s credits being dependent on two hours in an exam haul can be daunting, especially for first year students in university. The fear of failure and poor grades can cause people to crack under the pressure of this stressful situation. Students are pushed to their academic limits as they prepare to take their exams, and often pull all-nighters or other unhealthy coping mechanisms to prepare for their examinations. Studying is an important part of university, but courses prioritize grades over learning, this is when students can experience feelings of hopelessness.

Statement of Problem

At university, students are constantly under stress, especially around the examination period. University stress can lead to serious problems such as fear of failure, feeling worthless, or resorting to risky methods to pass their classes. This stress is unnecessary for student and takes away from the learning environment. This stress causes immense anxiety amongst students and also contributes to sleep deprivation amongst students.

Proposed Solution

To reduce the immense pressures placed upon students surrounding passing their classes, UBC should promote student-specific mental health support hotlines. This will allow students to have a place to share their feelings and struggles with an experienced professional. Another solution UBC can implement is adding nap pods around campus for students to use during study sessions. This will allow them to catch up on sleep and have a place to rest during their study breaks.Scope

To improve overall student wellbeing and reduce stressors, I plan to pursue to following areas of inquiry:

• What percentage of students experience frequent test anxiety?
• What measures do some students take to study for their exams? Are other areas in their life overlooked due to these measures?
• How much sleep do students get on average, and how does this change around the midterm and finals seasons?
• How does sleep deprivation affect academic performance and personal wellbeing?
• Do students know where to find the resources to better their mental health?

Methods

My primary research method will be interviewing students in various faculties to gain understanding on how they are affected by stress during exam seasons. I will also take a poll of the average amount of sleep these students get during this time.

My qualifications

As a student with test anxiety, I know what it is like to feel overwhelmed during exam seasons. I understand the academic stressors that many students go though in university.

Conclusion

Adding resources for students to improve their mental and physical health will help them not only feel better, but also perform better in school. Anxiety can feel like a barrier, but with the right help, students can succeed in their endeavours.