{"id":1083,"date":"2026-07-13T07:59:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T06:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=1083"},"modified":"2026-07-13T08:31:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T07:31:15","slug":"the-pressure-to-succeed-what-it-really-feels-like-to-be-a-university-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=1083","title":{"rendered":"The Pressure To Succeed: What It Really Feels Like To Be A University Student"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Uhunmwangho Osayi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many people, university life is imagined as a period of freedom, exciting friendships, and academic discovery. However, behind the smiles seen on campus and the achievements celebrated on social media lies a different reality. For many students of Delta State University, Abraka, every semester is a battle against financial hardship, family expectations, demanding coursework, and the constant fear of not living up to expectations. Success, they say, comes at a price that is often invisible to those looking in from the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Eze Chidera, a Broadcasting student, success is not merely a certificate or a title but a journey of becoming the person one is meant to be despite life’s distractions. Yet, that journey is made difficult by financial burdens. He identified school fees and house rent as the greatest sources of pressure in his academic life, admitting that balancing academic work with personal responsibilities is often impossible. “There will be times you’ll be confused, tired, stressed, and feel like giving up,” he said. “But giving up isn’t the best option.” Chidera believes determination is the force that keeps students attending lectures, writing examinations, and trying again even after failure. His advice to fellow students is simple: remain determined and stay focused despite the many distractions that accompany university life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Eghosa Collins Ameosa of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, success goes beyond obtaining high grades. According to him, it is about the effort invested in learning and the positive impact a student makes. He described academic stress and unexpected challenges as the greatest pressures he faces, while noting that family expectations often add emotional weight to the struggle. “Everyone expects the most from you, especially your family. They want a first class,” he explained. Although he admits balancing school with other responsibilities is not always easy, he believes managing his time effectively has helped him stay on course. Unlike many students, he says social media does not influence his ambitions because he remains focused on his personal goals, while the encouragement of good friends keeps him motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ogheneruemu Nancy Ikhuesirioghene, a Public Relations student, sees success as doing one’s best, improving steadily, and preparing for a brighter future. Like many undergraduates, she identified examinations, assignments, and the pressure to maintain excellent grades as major challenges. She also acknowledged that meeting her family’s expectations can sometimes feel overwhelming. To cope, Nancy carefully plans her time, prioritises important tasks, and remains organised. While she admitted that social media can create unhealthy comparisons that make students feel they should achieve more, she consciously reminds herself to focus on her own journey instead of competing with others. She also relies on trusted friends and loved ones whenever academic pressure becomes difficult to handle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Kenechukwu Helen Ozegbe, also of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, success is a continuous process of learning, personal growth, and self-improvement. She believes success is reflected in developing good study habits, managing time wisely, and working consistently towards future goals. However, she admitted that trying to meet both her own expectations and those of her parents has not been easy. To remain productive, she relies on timetables, to-do lists, and breaking large tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Unlike some of the other students, Helen believes social media has encouraged her to work harder. Rather than becoming discouraged by the achievements of others, she chooses to see them as motivation to improve herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although their experiences differ, one thing is clear: the pressure facing university students is not limited to the classroom. Financial difficulties, family expectations, academic workload, and personal responsibilities often combine to create emotional and psychological stress that many students silently endure. Yet, despite these challenges, the students interviewed continue to search for ways to persevere, proving that resilience has become one of the most valuable lessons university life offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another striking similarity among the students is their emphasis on discipline and time management. Whether through careful planning, surrounding themselves with supportive friends, or maintaining determination in difficult moments, each student has developed personal strategies for coping with the demands of higher education. Their experiences suggest that academic success depends not only on intelligence but also on emotional strength, patience, and the willingness to keep moving forward even when circumstances become difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As universities continue to produce graduates expected to compete in an increasingly demanding society, greater attention should also be given to the emotional and financial challenges students face every day. While determination and resilience remain essential qualities, creating more supportive learning environments, expanding financial assistance, and encouraging open conversations about mental well-being can make the journey less overwhelming. Behind every successful graduate is often a story of sacrifice, pressure, resilience, and perseverance that deserves to be heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author’s Bio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Uhunmwangho Osayi is a 200-level student of Journalism and Media Studies at Delta State University, Abraka. He has a keen interest in feature writing, human-interest stories, and issues affecting young people, with a passion for telling compelling stories that amplify everyday experiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Uhunmwangho Osayi For many people, university life is imagined as a period of freedom, exciting friendships, and academic discovery. However, behind the smiles seen on campus and the achievements celebrated on social media lies a different reality. For many students of Delta State University, Abraka, every semester is a battle against financial hardship, family […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[31,25,26,194],"class_list":["post-1083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-viewspoint","tag-abraka","tag-delsu","tag-education","tag-university"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1083"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1098,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1083\/revisions\/1098"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}