In a world so focused on careers and ambitions, the competitive job market has made it almost impossible to think about anything other than the relentless pursuit of achievement. Between internships, academic demands, side hustles, hobbies and extracurricular school activities, students are expected to graduate college not only with a degree but as polished professionals ready to conquer the job market. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious, but losing yourself and the meaning of this life in the process is not worth it. The traditional college experience has been transformed–and not for the better.
The key to success is high productivity, but who said that? For college students, that means morning classes, part-time jobs, afternoon meetings with the university’s club members, evening internships and volunteer work on weekends. And if you don’t have enough to put on your resume? Students rush to take another side hustle, job or extracurricular research project to put on that incredibly important piece of paper. However, in a hypercompetitive system, that experience may not be enough.
Social media only exacerbates the idea of being the most experienced and glorifies the pressure, leaving students to compare themselves to carefully curated LinkedIn profiles.
The drive for endless productivity leaves no room for self-exploration, quality time with friends and family and fun experiences. Over 60 percent of students in the United States experience stress daily and 94 percent feel overwhelmed with their studies, emphasizing the academic pressure and the uncertainty about the future as the main factors contributing to it.
The time for self-discovery, intellectual curiosity and building meaningful relationships has switched due to the competition within the college community and emotional and physical drain. Historically, college students used that time to engage in activism, try out new hobbies, explore hidden spots in the city and experiment with new ideas without fear of failure. Now, those activities are limited to “resume builders” rather than authentic ones.
“It’s the pressure. It’s suffocating to the point where it kills your motivation and your passions. As a student, I tend to get burned out really quickly because of these pressures. It’s hard not to have that expectation or high standard for yourself because it’s necessary for us to get these internships; because if we don’t get them–we’re screwed. You can’t get any working experience in order to get a job,” Natalia Marenco, a senior at the University majoring in political science, said.
Consider learning a new language or playing the piano; hanging out with your friends or simply relaxing in the lounge; attending a poetry reading or going to a concert. Those experiences, as insignificant as they may seem, foster creativity and personal growth. It’s easy to miss those little moments that bring you simple joy and happiness when you’re defined by a phase of life where you are constantly in “work mode.”
Students are not the ones benefiting from the hustle culture. Ironically, higher education institutions are embracing it, marketing their high-achieving alumni as success stories, putting even more pressure on their current students. Moreover, corporations offer opportunities to get experience, which gives them access to an unpaid or underpaid labor force in the form of interns. At the end of the day, students are left to deal with those expectations without receiving the proper support to help them succeed.
Some students are more affected by this than others, specifically first-generation and low-income students. For them, the hustle culture is not just about succeeding in the eyes of others–it’s a financial necessity. While trying to navigate between multiple jobs and academics, they face added pressure to keep up with the well-rounded college experience.
The solution isn’t to abandon ambition but to challenge the all-or-nothing mindset. Creating spaces where students feel safe and supported to explore their interests without feeling like they are falling behind is crucial. Instead of pressuring students to attend every networking event, career centers can help them find a fulfilling path that aligns with their personal goals.
Students, on the other hand, should prioritize mental health, set boundaries and embrace imperfection. Everyone has the right to slow down and use those acts of resistance against a culture that doesn’t care much about their well-being.
“We are losing quality time, the opportunity to make friends. People focus on themselves so much, and on their future, instead of the present,” Yairaliz Lozano, a senior student majoring in film studies, stated.
All of it for what? To prove something to future employers? College is more than that–it should be a time to question, dream and learn who you are outside of a professional context. By pushing back against hustle culture, students can reclaim their curiosity, desire to live and their precious time. Because, in the end, college is too short to spend entirely on the grind.
