A new report has revealed insights into the current stress levels students are dealing with, their thoughts on withdrawing and their optimism towards the future. 

The 2022 Canadian Student Wellbeing Study commissioned by Studiocity and carried out independently by Angus Reid, has revealed insights into the current stress levels of students, their thoughts on withdrawing and their optimism towards the future. 

The study indicates that 62 per cent of students aged 18-21 say they feel stressed by studying/schoolwork every single day, compared to 48 per cent of those 22 and older. It also shows that domestic students express significantly more stress than international students, though international students are twice as likely to say it's been difficult for them being away from friends/family. 

Many students feel optimistic about the future 

"Although two-in-five students have considered withdrawing from their college or university at one point, it is comforting to see that a significant majority of students are still feeling optimistic about their future, up a modest amount from 2021,” said Judyth Sachs, Chief Academic Officer at Studiosity. “It is a testament to universities that have been focusing on student safety and wellbeing through some of the most difficult years, making students feel supported and listened to throughout the challenges of the pandemic." 

While some students noted their pessimism regarding job prospects after leaving college/university, there was also a prevalence of comments around internships and co-op placements being ways to combat those feelings, as well as a desire to get a taste of real-world work scenarios.

Some students went on to explain their struggle with motivation and belief in their own abilities, as seen in the following comment: "Encouragement that grad students who excel can get hired... I know that not every single student can be guaranteed a hire, but when the culture says basically nobody gets hired in academic post grad school, it lessens the quality of my work for fear of the future." 

The survey was conducted among 1,014 current post-secondary students in Canada.