Freshmen Fiascos: The Pressure is Real – Assignments, Stress, and One Professor from Hell Part 2

By the time midterms rolled around, the pressure was unbearable. It felt like the universe had conspired to pile everything onto us at once. The workload wasn’t just about the sheer number of assignments—it was the expectations. Every professor wanted the best. The problem was, they all wanted the best at the same time. >_<

The dreaded email from Professor Grayson arrived just as I thought I had a handle on things. His research proposal was due in two days, and I had barely scratched the surface of my topic. -_-

“Mia, I can’t do this,” Olivia muttered, staring blankly at her screen. “I have a ten-page paper for Lit, a Sociology midterm, and now Grayson’s expecting a fully developed research proposal on top of everything else?” +_+

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Same. And it’s not like Grayson’s going to give us any slack.”

That was an understatement. Professor Grayson’s assignments had become a nightmare. His feedback on my last essay had been brutal, with comments like “lacks critical analysis” and “insufficient research.” No matter how hard I tried, it seemed like nothing was ever good enough for him. >_<

“I feel like I’m drowning,” Olivia said, her voice cracking. “It’s like I’m constantly running, but no matter how fast I go, the finish line keeps moving farther away.”

I knew how she felt. It wasn’t just about managing our time—it was the constant sense that even if we managed to finish everything, it wouldn’t be up to their impossible standards. The pressure wasn’t just academic anymore; it was personal. It was like the professors didn’t see us as humans, just productivity machines. -_-

Jake, too, was feeling the heat. I hadn’t seen him much recently, but when we did cross paths, he looked as worn out as Olivia and I. His usual easygoing nature had been replaced with a kind of quiet frustration. When I ran into him outside the library, he was hunched over a laptop, surrounded by textbooks.

“Hey,” I said, sitting down across from him. “How are you holding up?”

He didn’t look up from his screen. “Barely.”

I leaned forward, trying to catch his eye. “Jake, what’s going on? You seem... different.”

He sighed, finally tearing his gaze away from the laptop. “I’m just... overwhelmed, Mia. Between Physics, Econ, and Grayson’s class, I’m barely keeping it together. I’m behind on everything, and it feels like there’s no way to catch up.”

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. Jake had always been so calm and collected, but now, he seemed close to breaking. And honestly? So did I. =_=

Two days later, the deadline for Grayson’s research proposal arrived. I’d stayed up all night working on it, pouring over old manuscripts and journal articles, trying to pull together a coherent thesis. By the time the sun rose, I had a draft—barely. It wasn’t my best work, but it was all I could manage. +_+

Olivia and I submitted our proposals at the same time, exchanging a weary glance as we hit “send.”

“Well, that’s done,” she muttered, slumping back in her chair. “But I’m not feeling great about it.” OBVIOUSLY.

“Same,” I admitted. “Grayson’s going to tear it apart, I just know it.”

She nodded, staring at the ceiling. “At this point, I don’t even care. I’m just so tired, Mia. I feel like all I do is work. I miss having fun. I miss sleeping.” (Couldn't relate more Olivia, couldn't relate more!!!!)

Her words hit home. I hadn’t realized it until she said it, but I felt the same. College had stopped being fun. It wasn’t about learning or growing anymore; it was just about survival. Every day felt like a grind, a race to get things done before the next deadline hit.

That’s when it happened. Olivia, the usually upbeat, energetic roommate who had been my rock since the start of college, broke down. Tears welled up in her eyes, and before I could say anything, she was crying, her hands covering her face.

“I just can’t do this anymore, Mia,” she sobbed. “It’s too much. I’m trying so hard, but it’s never enough. No matter what I do, I feel like I’m failing.”

My heart ached seeing her like that. Olivia was always so strong, always the one to crack a joke or lift the mood when things got tough. Seeing her break down was like a punch to the gut.

I moved to sit next to her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. “You’re not failing, Liv. You’re doing your best. We all are. It’s just... this whole system is impossible.”

She sniffled, wiping her eyes. “I just feel like I’m losing myself. Like I’m not me anymore. I don’t even have time to do the things I love. It’s all just work, work, work.”

I didn’t know what to say. I felt the same. We’d both come to college with so many dreams, so much excitement. But now? It felt like those dreams were slipping away, buried under piles of assignments and endless stress. -_-

The following week, Professor Grayson returned our research proposals with his usual brutal feedback. As I scanned the comments, my stomach churned. “Your thesis is weak,” he wrote. “You need to delve deeper into the primary sources. This level of analysis is unacceptable for college-level work.”

I felt sick. I had spent hours—days—working on that proposal, and yet, according to Grayson, it wasn’t good enough. It was never good enough.

When I saw Olivia’s face after she read her feedback, I knew she had gotten the same treatment. Her usual spark was gone, replaced by a kind of hollow exhaustion.

“I can’t do this anymore, Mia,” she whispered. “I’m dropping his class.”

I stared at her, wide-eyed. “What? But... we’ve worked so hard! You can’t just drop it now.”

She shook her head, her expression resolute. “I’m serious. I don’t care about the grade anymore. Grayson’s class is destroying me. I’m losing sleep, I’m constantly anxious, and for what? To be told I’m not good enough? I’m done.”

Part of me wanted to protest, to tell her to stick it out, but another part of me understood. Professor Grayson’s class had become toxic. It wasn’t about learning anymore—it was about proving yourself to someone who seemed determined to tear you down.

Olivia didn’t wait. That afternoon, she marched to the registrar’s office and officially dropped the class. When she came back to the dorm, she looked... lighter. Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“I can breathe again,” she said, flopping onto her bed with a relieved sigh.

I was happy for her, but at the same time, I couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. I still had to face Grayson, still had to deal with the impossible workload. But was I making the right choice by staying in the class? Was it worth the toll it was taking on my mental health?

A few days later, things took a turn for the worse.

It was a Friday afternoon, and I was heading to the library to work on a group project when I got a text from Jake.

“Meet me outside the dorm. It’s urgent.”

My heart skipped a beat. Jake wasn’t the type to send frantic messages, so I knew something was wrong. I grabbed my things and rushed to meet him.

When I found him, he was sitting on a bench outside, his head in his hands. He looked... broken. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a kind of quiet desperation.

“Jake?” I asked, sitting down beside him. “What’s going on?”

He didn’t look up. “I failed my Physics midterm.”

I blinked, trying to process his words. Jake? Failed? ;_;

“I’ve never failed anything in my life, Mia,” he continued, his voice strained. “I worked so hard. I studied for weeks. And I still failed.”

I didn’t know what to say. Jake was one of the smartest people I knew. He was always on top of things, always calm under pressure. Seeing him like this was... jarring.

“I don’t know what to do,” he admitted, his voice cracking. “I feel like everything’s falling apart. I’m behind in Econ, Grayson’s class is killing me, and now... this.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “Jake, you’re not alone. We’re all struggling. This semester... it’s been brutal for everyone.”

He finally looked up at me, his eyes filled with frustration and exhaustion. “I don’t know if I can keep going like this. It’s too much, Mia. I’m just... tired.”

His words echoed Olivia’s. It seemed like everyone was at their breaking point.

After that conversation with Jake, I realized something had to change. It wasn’t just me, Olivia, or Jake feeling the pressure—it was everyone. The workload, the stress, the constant pressure to perform—it was taking a toll on all of us. And while dropping Grayson’s class had helped Olivia, I knew that wasn’t an option for everyone.

I decided to talk to one of the academic advisors. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting—maybe just someone to listen, or maybe some practical advice on how to manage everything—but I knew I couldn’t keep going like this.

The advisor, a kind-looking woman in her forties, listened as I poured out my frustrations. I told her about Grayson’s impossible expectations, the workload from my other classes, and how Jake and Olivia were both on the verge of burnout. ;_;

When I finished, she nodded thoughtfully. “Mia, you’re not alone in this. College is hard, especially the first year. But it sounds like what you and your friends are experiencing goes beyond just the normal stress.”

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say.

“You need to take care of yourself,” she continued gently. “Your mental health is just as important as your grades, if not more so. Have you thought about reducing your course load? Maybe dropping a class or talking to your professors about extensions?”

“I thought about it,” I admitted, “but I’m worried it’ll look like I’m giving up. Like I’m not strong enough to handle it.”

The advisor smiled softly. “Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, Mia. It’s a sign of strength. Recognizing that you need support and taking steps to get it is one of the most important lessons you can learn in college—and in life.”

I nodded, her words sinking in. She was right. I had been so focused on pushing through, on meeting everyone’s expectations, that I hadn’t stopped to think about what I needed.

The next day, I sat down with Jake and Olivia to talk. We had all been through so much together, and I realized that we needed to make some changes if we were going to survive the rest of the semester.

“I’ve been thinking,” I began, looking at them both. “This semester has been brutal for all of us. And I think... maybe we need to take a step back.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I talked to an academic advisor yesterday,” I explained. “She said we need to prioritize our mental health. Maybe that means dropping a class, or asking for extensions, or even just finding ways to manage our time better. But we can’t keep pushing ourselves like this. It’s not sustainable.”

Jake nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. I was so focused on trying to keep up with everything that I didn’t realize how much it was affecting me.”

Olivia sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I hate that it’s come to this, but you’re right, Mia. We can’t keep going like this. Something has to give.”

Together, we made a plan. Jake decided to talk to his Physics professor about retaking the midterm, while Olivia and I made a pact to support each other through the rest of Grayson’s class. We also agreed to schedule regular breaks—real breaks, where we didn’t talk about assignments or deadlines. We needed time to breathe, to recharge. And, most importantly, we promised to look out for each other. College was tough, but we didn’t have to go through it alone. :)

A few days later, I finally mustered up the courage to speak with Professor Grayson. I didn’t know what to expect—Grayson wasn’t exactly known for his compassion—but I knew I had to try.

His office was as intimidating as I had imagined—shelves lined with thick academic tomes, his desk piled high with papers. When I walked in, he barely looked up from his work.

“Yes?” he said, his tone clipped.

I swallowed, my palms sweating. “Professor Grayson, I wanted to talk to you about the research proposal.”

He finally looked up, his sharp eyes studying me. “What about it?”

“I... I’m struggling,” I admitted, feeling my heart race. “I’ve been working really hard, but it feels like no matter what I do, it’s not enough. I don’t want to give up, but I’m feeling overwhelmed.”

Grayson’s expression didn’t change. He tapped his pen against his desk, clearly unimpressed.

“Miss Thompson, college is meant to be challenging,” he said. “If you’re overwhelmed, perhaps you need to adjust your priorities. This is not high school—you are expected to meet certain standards.”

I felt a surge of frustration. Of course he wasn’t going to make this easy.

“I understand that, Professor,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “But I also think there needs to be a balance. The workload in your class—and in my other classes—has been overwhelming for many of us. We’re doing our best, but we’re human.” +_+

For a moment, I thought he was going to dismiss me. But then something shifted in his expression. He leaned back in his chair, studying me more closely.

“You’re not the first student to come to me with concerns about the workload,” he said slowly. “But I’ll tell you what I’ve told them: college is not meant to be easy. However,” he added, after a pause, “I will take your feedback into consideration. Perhaps there are ways to better support students without lowering academic standards.”

It wasn’t exactly a victory, but it was something.

“Thank you,” I said, standing up to leave. “I appreciate you listening.”

As I walked out of his office, I felt a strange mix of emotions. I hadn’t solved all my problems, but I had stood up for myself—and that felt like a win.

The next few weeks were still tough, but things started to feel... different. Olivia and I found a better balance between work and downtime, and Jake seemed more relaxed after retaking his midterm.

We weren’t perfect—there were still days when the stress felt like too much—but we were learning how to cope. We leaned on each other more, checking in regularly to make sure we were all doing okay.

And, slowly but surely, I started to enjoy college again. I remembered why I had been so excited to come here in the first place—the opportunities, the growth, the new experiences. It wasn’t just about surviving anymore; it was about thriving. ;)

Grayson’s class was still challenging, but I approached it with a new mindset. I wasn’t going to let one professor—or one class—define my entire college experience. There was more to life than just grades.

As the semester came to an end, I realized something important: college wasn’t about being perfect. It wasn’t about meeting every expectation or never feeling overwhelmed. It was about learning—both academically and personally.

I had learned so much about history and literature, sure. But I had also learned about resilience, about asking for help, and about finding balance in the chaos.

Olivia, Jake, and I had all grown in ways we hadn’t expected. We had faced challenges—both academic and personal—but we had come out stronger because of them.

And as we walked out of our last final exam, the weight of the semester finally lifting off our shoulders, I knew one thing for sure: we were ready for whatever came next.

Because college wasn’t just about the assignments, the grades, or the professors. It was about the journey. And we were just getting started.

I hope this journey becomes more fun as we progress.

Byeeeee.