Understanding the stress and coping experiences of undergraduate university students in the COVID-19 context: A qualitative study

Introduction

Feelings of stress were a common by-product of the COVID-19 pandemic. A national survey conducted in Ireland found that levels of stress, anxiety and depression increased in the general population during the COVID-19 quarantine periods compared to levels before quarantine (Burke et al., 2020). Across studies internationally, stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic included frustration, boredom, lack of supplies, inadequate information, financial concerns, stigma, and fear of contracting COVID-19 (Brooks et al., 2020). An individual’s perception of stressors in their environment will determine whether they cope with stress effectively (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Understanding effective coping is an important part of avoiding detrimental outcomes of any stress experience and coping resources and processes are recognised as having a significant impact on mental and physical health outcomes (Taylor & Stanton, 2007).

Students are a particularly important group to consider in relation to stress and coping, as they consistently report high levels of stress and mental health issues (Dooley et al., 2019). Pre-COVID, students in Ireland reported university, financial concerns, and worries about the future as their top stressors (Dooley et al., 2019). In a systematic review of 40 international qualitative studies, Hurst et al. (2013) identified relationships with family, peers, and university faculty; a lack of resources; the pressure of expectations from others and from themselves; and academic workload as major stressors for students internationally.

University students were particularly impacted by COVID-19 due to the disruption to university life on top of societal disturbance. At various points during the pandemic, students were required to switch to online remote learning, some lost their jobs or internships and others had to cease or change research projects (Zhai & Du, 2020). Although there is evidence that some students considered online learning to be more flexible and provided much-needed consistency in their lives (Garris & Fleck, 2020), the move to online learning also resulted in students feeling socially isolated and lonely (Besser et al., 2020; Garris & Fleck, 2020). A longitudinal study by Hamza et al. (2020) surveyed 773 university students about their mental health pre-COVID in May 2019, and again in May 2020. Students with no pre-existing mental health concerns prior to the COVID-19 outbreak showed declining mental health due to the increase in stress and social isolation during the pandemic (Hamza et al., 2020). Other quantitative research indicated that students were finding their courses less interesting, were struggling with concentration and motivation, and felt more isolated and stressed than ever before (Besser et al., 2020; Elmer et al., 2020; Garris & Fleck, 2020).

The stress associated with COVID-19 may differ across university year groups. Research pre-COVID-19 showed that during the transition to university, first-years had many of the same stresses as returning students; however, they also had additional worries associated with adjusting to a new environment (Bergmann et al., 2019). Denovan & Macaskill (2013) conducted a qualitative study which found that the major stressors for first-years were related to changes in living arrangements and in expectations between secondary and third level education, academic pressures, and difficulties in relation to housemates, finances, and employment. First-years also reported acceptance and optimism helped them cope, as well as using their friends and family as a support system (Denovan & Macaskill, 2013).

Although much of the research exploring stress in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic has used survey methods (e.g. Elmer et al., 2020; Hamza et al., 2020; Son et al., 2020), qualitative interviews may be particularly well suited to the in-depth exploration of the stress experience. Fawaz et al. (2020) conducted qualitative interviews with 20 final-year university students in Lebanon to examine their emotional reactions and coping mechanisms during and after COVID-19 quarantine. This study found that students experienced multiple psychological challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and university closures including “Overwhelming load”, “Confinement”, and “Fear of becoming infected and jeopardizing family health”. To our knowledge, there have been no similar qualitative studies focusing on the stress experiences of undergraduate students in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on the Irish context is important as Ireland implemented one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe over the course of the pandemic (Hale et al., 2021).

The current study aimed to use qualitative methods to understand the stressors faced by university students in the COVID-19 context, and to explore their coping mechanisms. The current research builds on existing research by focusing on the Irish context and including undergraduate students across year groups to explore potential differences in stress experiences. This study therefore aimed to:

Methods

This study was reported using the COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) checklist (Tong et al., 2007) and by adhering to guidelines by Yardley (2000) (see Extended data: https://osf.io/ry9pf/)

Results

Fifty-two students expressed an interest in taking part. Of those 52 students, 19 were selected to take part in interviews based on gender, year of study, area of residence, and living circumstances. No participants dropped out after agreeing to participate. Interviews lasted from 21–58 minutes. Participant demographics are presented in Table 1.

Three themes were developed in relation to undergraduate students’ perceived stressors, each with two sub-themes. Two themes were generated in relation to participants’ coping strategies. The themes and sub-themes are presented in Table 2. Theme and sub-theme names in italics indicate that words are taken directly from participant quotations. Quotations have been selected as illustrative examples of the main themes or to highlight differences between participants.

Stressors

1. The unknown. The dragon. The fear of getting sick.

This theme refers to the fear students had of COVID-19 and the associated chronic uncertainty. Participants viewed COVID-19 as being detrimental to the physical health of themselves and their loved ones, as well as their mental health due to the constant reporting of bad news in relation to the virus. This theme was emphasised by nearly all of the participants, both first-years and returning students.

1.1 Fear of COVID-19

Many students referred to their fear of COVID-19 and several participants described the stress they felt about catching COVID-19 themselves. One participant recalled feelings of fear at the beginning of the pandemic which have remained present:

[…]so, in the beginning, it was definitely just fear of like, what if I get it and die, you know, which is still a real fear […]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 19, First-year student)

[…] the unknown. The dragon. The fear of getting sick […]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 16, First-year student)

A significant stressor for most students was the fear of passing COVID-19 onto loved ones. Students feared for the health of their parents and grandparents in particular.

[…] I don’t want to be the one that kills my grandparents or makes my mother or father very sick […] I mean that worry at the back of your mind of bringing it into the household or spreading it elsewhere it’s a scary kind of feeling and thought that you could be the reason that, God forbid, somebody died or got so sick that they’re affected for life.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 4, Returning student)

Another student described how she tested positive for COVID-19 a few days after visiting family members, and the stress it caused her to have to tell them to self-isolate because of her.

[…] and that was weighing on my mind that maybe I’ve caused them to become ill and stuff if they did test positive. So, I think that definitely added to the stress because I just like, yeah, it’s a lot to tell people that they have to now isolate and stuff.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 3, First-year student)

1.2 Chronic uncertainty and negative media messages

Students described how the bad news and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic caused them stress. Some students described how ‘it was the same thing, and it was the same negatives’ (Participant 5, Returning student) on the news and social media.

You’re in college [university] during the day and then at night you hear about the deaths and the cases and everything. That kind of causes a bit more stress, you just think that it’s never going to finish, so.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 12, First-year student)

Other students felt like the pandemic was never going to end due to the restrictions and the lockdowns relentlessly being extended. They felt that there was a ‘lack of direction’ (Participant 17, Returning student) in their lives.

[…] continuous lockdown like can have an effect on you. And like, for a while there like kind of after Christmas kind of felt like ‘oh this is not getting any better,’ like, you know, will it be another year by the time we’re back to normal life? [...]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 6, First-year student)

2. Online learning is overwhelming

Most students identified that doing work online was a major stressor for them since the pandemic started. They felt overwhelmed with the workload which was exacerbated by having no boundaries between university and home life.

2.1 Difficulties with university workload

Students from all year groups explained how the university workload was overwhelming online due to classes being longer and lecturers assigning more content for students to engage with.

Stuff piling up even more so now than it was last year.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 2, Returning student)

Students also expressed how keeping on top of everything and trying to meet the deadlines caused them significant stress.

Little things like ‘oh god am I not gonna get this done on time’ and ‘am I gonna need an extension’ you know […] it’s like so anxious when you’re trying to meet the deadline and stuff.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 12, First-year student)

First-years expressed these concerns but also described further stressors in relation to workload, such as figuring out how university works for the first time and trying to navigate online platforms with which they had no experience. For example, one first-year student explained how figuring out how to submit an assignment caused them significant stress.

[…] just to make sure like, that […] to get it like submitted properly like on Turnitin. And just to make sure like that it's actually up and I didn't like not put it up and then I'll get graded like wrong or whatever.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 6, First-year student)

2.2 One place, same screen, same things

Students considered the lack of structure and routine in their daily lives to be a major stressor. They explained that when they were on campus, they were able to divide their days into chunks between going to lectures and socialising on campus. However, at the time of interview they felt stuck in the same four walls of their homes, with no sense of boundaries, unable to switch off from the monotony of university work.

[…] on campus it was 45 minutes, you got up and, even the walking down the corridor of the building, you’d have a laugh, or you’d have a chat and those little five-minute snippets of conversation, they have such a huge effect on people […]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 4, Returning student)

[…] one place, same screen, same things.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 4, Returning student)

3. Social isolation

Participants described how since the beginning of the pandemic they have suffered from a lack of peer interaction or the real university experience, such as meeting friends and having lectures in person. Participants described this as stressful because they felt cut-off and felt as though their time at university was being wasted at home.

3.1 Lack of peer contact

Many students described how they missed meeting up with their friends and how they would usually use this interaction as a de-stressor and a way to ‘let off steam’ (Participant 13, First-year student). Returning students had previously had the opportunity to meet people from their course but because of the restrictions, had been unable to meet up with their friends.

[…] obviously, we have friends from our course and friends from last year that we want to meet up with and reconnect with and you can’t […]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 15, Returning student)

Returning students also described finding it ‘really stressful to just find a moment to be communicating with [friends]’ (Participant 1, Returning student), especially virtually. They explained how their days were busy with university work and that there was nothing other than COVID to talk about.

[…] it’s really difficult because the group chats like there's not much to talk about. It's all just COVID and COVID and COVID […]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 5, Returning student)

First-years expressed further concerns regarding their social isolation. They felt stressed about not knowing anyone on their course and explained that ‘it was difficult to make friends in the classes over Zoom’ (Participant 10, First-year student) or through social media platforms. Many first-year students felt isolated because they were only seeing names on a screen during lectures as students tended to have their cameras off, and they were not able to put the faces to the names.

[…] it’s just very hard to get to know people and you just kind of get to know the names like when they're coming on to the zoom and stuff.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 6, First-year student)

3.2 Fear of missing out

All students described a feeling of missing out on the full university experience. Both first-years and returning students indicated that they feared they were missing out on the social scene, and this was causing them stress. All students felt that online learning at home was a waste of the limited time they had in university. First-years feared that they will never be able to experience university life.

[…] you kind of think ‘God, am I ever going to get the proper college [university] experience?’ […]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 12, First-year student)

Returning students knew what they were missing out on and feared they will never get that experience again.

I mean, like, last year, I had the difference, and I know what a normal year is like from last year. So just having the possibility that it could have been like that is really difficult.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 8, Returning student)

Coping

4. Help each other, keep each other afloat

Students relied on family, friends, and classmates to help them cope with stress during the pandemic. Despite a sense of social isolation, staying connected was a popular coping strategy for all students. Some students explained how their close relationship with their family meant they had someone to talk to about the stresses in their lives.

[…]me and my mom have a very close relationship, so she’s been helping me out quite a bit with dealing with stress and dealing with assignments and all in college [university] and everything.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 17, Returning student)

Other students appreciated the contact they had with friends as a way of coping. Keeping in contact with friends via FaceTime or other social media platforms helped them take their mind off their stress. Students also indicated that when restrictions were lighter, socially distanced interaction with friends made the world of difference when it came to their mental health.

So, you know even meeting […] in masks, the two meters apart maybe for a picnic at a distance like something like that […] at least it was seeing somebody in person so that was much nicer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 5, Returning student)

First-year students found it beneficial to keep in contact with classmates over WhatsApp or Zoom even if they did not know them personally. This gave them an outlet to ask questions about university work and ‘see how everyone's getting on and things’ (Participant 7, First-year student) as they navigated university for the first time. It also helped them to make friends and reassured them that everyone was ‘feeling the same way’ (Participant 12, First-year student).

[…] we’re kind of just all trying to help each other, keep each other afloat […]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 17, Returning student)

5. Focusing on the positives in a shared storm

Despite students being greatly affected by the pandemic, most students discussed staying optimistic about their situation. Focusing on the positives and realising that everyone was in the same boat made it easier to cope with the stress associated with the pandemic for most students. Many students reminded themselves that this is temporary, and that life will go back to normal eventually.

So just keep everyone safe and we’ll get through it and we’ll be hopefully back to normal in no time hopefully.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 2, Returning student)

Students were also able to focus on the things that they can control in their own lives, such as their ability to continue with their degree and being able to give themselves time to engage in hobbies that they enjoyed.

[…] we’re still getting our degree, you know like, it’s not been put on pause and we can still kind of get on with life in some respects, so that’s good.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 15, Returning student)

[…] just recently I started kind of giving myself, time to do some recreational reading

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 5, Returning student)

First-years were particularly optimistic about being able to go back to campus and being able to meet their classmates in person.

I think like in the grand scheme of things, it’s, it might only be like a year like. […] I know eventually we’ll get in and we’ll be on campus and stuff like that, and that’ll be good.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Participant 6, First-year student)

Students in all year groups found focusing on the positive things in their lives and remembering that everyone is in the same storm helped them to cope.

Discussion

This research aimed to explore the experience of stress among undergraduate university students in the COVID-19 context, including their perceived stressors and coping strategies used. This is the first qualitative study that explored the stress and coping experiences of students in an Irish university and examined the differences in stress experiences between first-year and returning undergraduate students.

Three themes were developed in relation to undergraduate’s perceived stressors. The first was ‘The unknown. The dragon. The fear of getting sick’ with sub-themes ‘Fear of COVID-19’ and ‘Chronic uncertainty and negative media messages’ was a theme that related to all undergraduate year groups. This theme is consistent with existing literature (Brooks et al., 2020; Fawaz et al., 2020). Findings from the current study also highlight how students felt stressed by negative messages about COVID-19, including the reporting of daily death counts.

The second theme was ‘Online learning is overwhelming’ with two sub-themes, ‘Difficulties with university workload’ and ‘One place, same screen, same things.’ Previous research found that the workload during online learning had caused university students considerable stress since the pandemic started (Fawaz et al., 2020; Hussein et al., 2020; Son et al., 2020; Tsai et al., 2020). The current study also identified further stressors that faced first-year students specifically, such as difficulties with online platforms and trying to navigate university for the first time from home. Interestingly, the stressors described by first-year students were different to stressors previously identified by first-year students pre-pandemic. Pre-pandemic, students were stressed about housemates, finances, homesickness, and adjusting to university life (Denovan & Macaskill, 2013). Many participants in the current study were living at home so stressors in relation to housemates and homesickness did not apply to them. Results from the current study also show how students felt like they had no study-life balance due to having minimal structure to their day, and no barrier between university life and home life. This is consistent with research carried out by Tsai et al. (2020), who found that students were negatively impacted mentally and physically by a lack of study-life balance during the pandemic. It is interesting to note that previous research also indicated that students find remote learning beneficial in some instances (Hussein et al., 2020; Tsai et al., 2020), whereas this was not described by students in the current study.

‘Social isolation,’ with sub-themes ‘Lack of peer contact’ and ‘Fear of missing out,’ was identified as being stressful for students. Findings support previous research, which suggested that confinement and social isolation during the pandemic was a key factor contributing to increased stress for students (Fawaz et al., 2020; Hamza et al., 2020). The present study builds on previous research by identifying additional concerns that first-years have compared to returning students. These include difficulties making friends through social media and virtual platforms without initial connections made in person.

Two further themes were identified in relation to coping strategies used by students when dealing with stress in the COVID-19 context, ‘Help each other, keep each other afloat,’ and ‘Focusing on the positives in a shared storm’. These refer to students’ ability to cope by maintaining a sense of social connectedness and engaging in positive thinking. Spending time with family members and connecting with friends, both online and in person has shown to be associated with better mental wellbeing in existing literature (Ellis et al., 2020). The current study highlighted how students benefited from support systems made up of family, friends, and classmates which has been found in previous research (Denovan & Macaskill, 2013). Students also described engaging in positive thinking as an effective way of coping with their stress. This is consistent with previous research that shows positive thinking and optimism increase the ability to cope effectively with stress (Naseem & Khalid, 2010). Notably, first-year students appeared more optimistic about life after COVID-19, compared to returning students. Perhaps this was due to the perception of having more time to experience university life, compared to returning students who felt their limited remaining university time was wasted studying from home.

Conclusions

All students struggled with stress due to the COVID-19 situation. First-year students experienced additional unique stressors while adjusting to university in the context of a pandemic but were more optimistic about life after COVID-19 than returning students. All students described coping strategies to help manage stress, which may be useful in developing future interventions and mental health supports for university students.

Data availability