The Uncertainty of the Future

Lindsey Moran, communications senior, is enjoying her last days as a University of Oklahoma student. As she prepares to graduate she is not sure what the future holds for her. Moran does know that she has a lot to worry about as graduation approaches including about $20,000 to $25,000 in student loans, finding a job, a place to live, and deciding whether or not to attend graduate school.

According to Scholarships.com all these decisions Moran is about to face are several reasons why seniors at the college level become victims of Post-Graduation Stress Disorder (PGSD) after they graduate.

“ There are a number of sources out there that describe post-graduation stress disorder as a real diagnosis affecting recent graduates overwhelmed by choices of what they should do once they’re off college campuses,” said Scholarships.com. “Most post-graduation stress felt by graduates isn’t quite that serious, but can still be a drain on you if you’re unprepared for this new chapter in your life.”

Dr. Alice Lanning, Director of Freshman Programs at the University of Oklahoma, has had over 36 years of experience in the higher education field. She has found that as students graduate they are faced with a chain reaction of events that she undoubtedly believes would lead them into depression.

“The decision to go to graduate school, finding a job or not finding one and having to deal with how to pay off their loans can cause a student to go downhill,” said Lanning. “Their self-confidence also starts to deteriorate as they begin to wonder if the major they chose was right for them and the belief that by not finding a job means they are unqualified, when in fact they really are.”

Whatever the future holds for Moran she is trying to keep a positive outlook and not fall victim to the depression that may face her post graduation.

“Fortunately I have my family’s support with whatever I decide to do. I know I can fall back on them. It’s those who don’t have that support that concerns me. I could not imagine being on my own faced with all the decisions that come after graduating in this economy.”

$ Getting the Most For Your Dollar $

Mackenzie Sammis, international studies sophomore, and Molly Brown, public relations sophomore, are taking advantage of what their university has to offer in terms of campus organizations and free resources.

With the realization that there is nothing much they can do to stop the rising expense of college finances, they see the importance of taking advantage of the opportunities and resources they are offered at their university.

“While campus organizations sometimes cost money, the overall benefit is worth it in terms of friendships you can make and the experiences both socially and professionally you can have,” said Brown. “We need to take advantage of the opportunities we are given while we still can as students here at OU.”

Sammis has learned the importance of utilizing free campus resources like the writing center, library, and tutoring. As a teaching assistant for Gateway for College Learning and Strategies for Success, Sammis has passed on to her students the importance of using these free resources.

“We dedicate a whole class day to encouraging students to get involved in campus organizations,” said Sammis. “We also make sure that they are aware of the free resources on campus like the writing center and tutoring and take them on a tour of the library so that they can familiarize themselves with the hundreds of resources offered there.”

Both Brown and Sammis said that with college finances just becoming more expensive students like them need to lean to make the most of their college experience while they can.

“You are already paying for a bunch of hidden fees when you pay for tuition,” Brown said. “The smart thing to do is to take advantage of the resources and opportunities you have and make the most out of your dollars spent.”

Like Father Like Son: Student explains how money management has helped him deal with college finances

Kenyon Calcote, accounting freshman, has learned an important lesson as he finishes up his first year at the University of Oklahoma.

"I have realized there are a whole lot of other things that I'm going to spend money on than just tuition," said Calcote. "I've definitely learned the importance of creating a budget for myself so that I can spend my money wisely."

An article published by New York University said that when it comes to college students these days they have a lot more to think about then just paying for housing and tuition.

“These days students have to think about additional expenses such has health insurance, travel costs for going home, cell phones, dining on or off campus, computers, and other daily expenses.”

The article said the only way to avoid what they called “hefty financial mistakes” and stress in college was to learn basic money management skills.

“Managing your money is just as important as staying physically fit and mentally healthy.”

Calcote said that his father, being an accountant, instilled in him the importance of money management skills.

“My dad taught me everything I know about money,” said Calcote. “I didn’t realize how important it was to budget until I came to college and was independent. I quickly realized there were a lot of things that were going to cost money, like food, gas, and entertainment. With college finances like tuition already as stressful as they are, I understood the importance of what my dad had instilled in me about budgeting in order to make my other finances less stressful for me.”

The "Buying Down" Effect

Hayden Warr, public relations sophomore, is about to complete her second year at the University of Oklahoma. With two years out of the way Warr has already made many memorable experiences and has developed a lot of friendships.

If someone two years ago were to ask Warr where she was planning on going to school her answer would not be OU.

During her senior year Warr applied to four schools. Two were out of state. She was accepted to three. Wanting to go outside of Oklahoma’s state borders to experience life in another state, Warr’s first choice out of all the school’s she applied to was Florida State. When it came down to decision time tuition was just too expensive at Florida State, so Warr went with her next best option: The University of Oklahoma.

According to an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Warr is not the minority when it comes to leaving behind her first choice in schools and going with the next best thing. John T. Lawlor is a trend watcher in higher education and he told the chronicle that in fact that is what more and more students are having to do when it comes to deciding where they will receive their education.

“The big trend I see is buying down,” Lawlor said. “That is, parents and students who are settling for second best or second choice, if the price is more appealing. And this trend is catching on not just among squeezed middle-class families, but also among the rich.”

Warr says she doesn’t regret her decision to come to OU. She feels that for some students high tuition prices can limit students possibilities and experiences, but ultimately it is the students responsibility to make the most of their college years with whatever opportunity they are given, or in her case can financially take on.

OU Student Discovers the Multiple Benefits of Working On Campus

Wade Hensley, finance sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, is aware of the expenses that come with wanting to receive and education. The reality of these expenses caused Hensley to take action towards the end of his freshman year and find a way he could earn a little extra cash to help lower his tuition costs.

Hensley’s answer came from his residential adviser during his freshman year at OU. With the guidance of his R.A, Hensley became a residential adviser for the 2010-2011 school year.

“The application process wasn’t very difficult,” Hensley said. “When I realized I got the position I was ecstatic and saw it as an opportunity to meet new people, become more in tune with campus, help alleviate the cost of getting my education.”

Receiving free room and board along with a monthly stipend are just a few of the perks of being a residential adviser that has helped lower Hensley’s tuition bill.

“Being a student from Texas and having to deal with paying the higher price of out of state tuition, this helps tremendously,” Hensley said.

Hensley encourages other students like him to look into something like becoming a residential adviser or some form of a work-study program where a student can take on an on-campus job and in return have some of their tuition or other related expense of college paid for.

Other than the financial perks being a residential adviser can offer, Hensley likes the fact that he is able to help out the freshman on his floor, become a family unit with the other advisers, and that his job does not interfere with his primary obligation of being a student.

“Being an R.A doesn’t really affect my studies,” Hensley said. “They always tell us that we are students first and employees second, so they really do care about our success as students here. The routines and responsibilities that are expected of me are not too different from a student that isn’t an R.A. I’m basically getting paid for just being a student and socializing with other students.”

While the financial relief Hensley’s job can offer is nice, the most rewarding part is the social and professional experiences he has already had during his first year of being a residential adviser at the university.

“For me, this job isn’t all about the financial benefits I can reap from it,” Hensley said. “I have made many friends through this job and have had several networking opportunities that can help me in the future once I graduate. Anyone who might suffer from low emotional health levels because of financial problems should consider a job like this. Not only can it help with their financial problems, but it could possibly help them become more social and active members on their campus. By being in a job like this you become a family and have a support system that can get you through any stressful time. Your whole college experience can improve and you can become a much happier person.”


WATCH Wade Hensley's Interview on being a Residential Adviser:

De-Stressing the Stressed

Erin Jacobs, Public Relations major at the University of Oklahoma, has a lot on her plate these days. As she prepares for the next semester of classes, the financial burden of affording to continue her education at the higher education level is starting to weigh down on her.

“Next year I will be paying for school all on my own,” Jacobs said. “I get very little loans because my FAFSA says my dad makes a lot, but my mom is very sick and cannot work and all the extra money goes towards her medical expenses. I am taking 20 or more hours a semester just so I can graduate early and save money.”

Realizing that the stress she is about to experience is not going to be healthy for her, Jacobs relies on her one true passion for relief: Dance.

Jacobs has been dancing since the age of three. She is a member of several dance clubs on campus including the Sooner Dance Company and Crimson Beat. Jacobs is also enrolled in a Belly dancing course that is taught by Kathleen Redwine, University of Oklahoma professor and dance instructor.

In addition to teaching Belly dancing, Redwine uses some of the class days to teach Jacobs and her other students yoga and other different stress relief techniques to help them get a jump start on their day and maintain a healthy emotional state.

“The yoga and stress relief techniques I learn in Professor Redwine’s class are beneficial, therapeutic, and very relaxing to me,” Jacobs said.

Beth McCoy is a professor for a program called Strategies for Success at the University of Oklahoma. The class is designed to help first year students on academic probation learn habits and techniques that can help turn them in to successful individuals in school, work, and life.
Many of the students that enter Strategies either suffered personal, academic, or financial stress that caused them to perform poorly at the academic level, McCoy said. Part of the course is designed for McCoy to discuss with her students appropriate stress reduction techniques.

“Along with acknowledging the stressors of college life and ways to manage it, I always suggest to my students to take advantage of on campus extracurricular activities that allow them to be social and have fun in order to take their mind off of any stressful predicaments they may be in,” McCoy said. “Students should find something they like and get involved.”

For Jacobs dance has become a lifesaver in terms of managing the financial stress she faces as a college student. While something like financial problems won’t disappear right away, Jacobs encourages others like her to find something they are passionate about and get involved in it to create social interaction and enjoyment for themselves so they can reduce their stress.

“It is very important to find a constructive outlet for stress,” Jacobs said. “It also helps school and tuition costs seem more worth it. If I wasn’t dancing and meeting new people I would be a lot unhappier with paying the high prices. College is just as much about learning as it is making connections with friends and for me learning dance skills for free. Universities are great places to take advantage of free stress relieving activities and to spread your wings.”

The wallets of young college students and their parents are not the only thing feeling the burn of college finances these days.

College students are more than ever depressed and stressed out about finances as they enter higher education institutions, according to a report published in the Chronicle of Higher Education by the Higher Education Institution at the University of California at Los Angeles of first-year undergraduate students.

“The percentage of students reporting good or above-average emotional health dropped from 55.3 percent in 2009 to 51.9 percent in 2010,” according to “The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2010 survey conducted by UCLA.

They reported that these findings “marked the lowest point since 1985 when the survey first asked the question.”


Hilary Hopkins, Communications and Science Disorders major at the University of Oklahoma, has witnessed  the affects college finances can have on the emotional health of an individual.

“I had a friend last semester whose emotional health took a downward spiral,"Hopkins said."Her parents had lost their jobs and declared foreclosure on their house. She took on a job, but was faced with having to pay her own expenses of going to school like her tuition, rent, food costs, and other expenses all by herself. At one point in time I was visiting her at her house and she was eating rice just to make it through the week until she could afford to go to the grocery store.”

“She was always working, studying, or trying to deal with the financial aid she was in desperate need of," which Hopkins said was the start of the downward spiral of her friends physical health because "She was barely eating causing her appearance to change.”

It wasn’t until Hopkins’s friend “began shutting herself out from everyone,” she said that she realized how much college expenses could really take a toll not just physically, but mentally on an individual.

“She used to be a very social person," Hopkins said. "She was involved in a lot of campus activities and always hanging out with friends and going to social events.”

However, this all stopped when the financial troubles of college expenses hit her and her family, which led to her avoiding social interaction with her peers Hopkins explained.




Hopkins claimed that her friend’s money issues lead to a series of events that caused her to go into depression.

“Because of her friends money issues back home the financial burden of college expenses was passed on to her,” Hopkins said. Therefore, “she had to get a job, which took away from her studies and social interaction with her friends.”

The lack of social interaction either because she didn’t have the time or because she avoided it all together in fear of it causing any expense on her part forced her to cut out communication and any interaction she needed to stay a happy and healthy individual, Hopkins said.

“She was a whole new person,” Hopkins said. “Her attitude and appearance had changed. She was depressed. She did eventually receive help from the university financially, but never sought out the get the help she needed for her depression.”

College, people say, is supposed to be some of the best experiences of your life. With the UCLA survey finding students reporting the lowest levels of emotional health since the survey began, some may wonder how this statement can be true. This finding should be taken into consideration as thousands of students enroll in higher education institutions. Universities everywhere need to ensure students stay healthy emotionally so they can be productive in and out of the classroom and create those memories that make college the best, not the most depressing and stressing times of their lives.