A female's first year of college stress, mental health, and alcohol

Transitioning to college marks a critical period of change in a student's life. Students become exposed to new environments that require adaptation. College courses come with academic expectations that are typically higher than those experienced in high school. This honors thesis will review academic literature addressing the sources of stress experienced by first-year, self-identified female undergraduate students attending a traditional four-year college and/or university. Students who experience distress associated with the transition to college may develop adverse health conditions. This thesis will specifically explore symptoms of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety associated with the transition to college. Students may adopt unhealthy behaviors to cope with stressful situations. A potential behavioral response examined in this thesis is alcohol consumption. This thesis will also discuss stress management techniques that are efficacious for stress reduction in this population. Lastly, I will review the student resources at the University of Utah and their effectiveness for students experiencing stress, mental health illnesses, and alcohol consumption.