A new survey of 70 University of Malta students has found that 42 per cent of students only have 10 hours of free time every week.
The survey asked the students about the amount of time they spend on their studies and leisure, and whether they considered their workload was too much to handle.
The survey found that over half (57.18 per cent) spend almost 20 hours in lectures every week and an additional 10 to 20 hours doing work related to their studies, and almost the same percentage (60 per cent) felt the amount of work given in their course was appropriate for the level of education they are getting.
Students said that they felt constantly under a great amount of pressure to fill any free time
The study also found that 60 per cent of students do not have a part-time job, meaning that most rely on their stipend to meet their financial needs. Those students who do work part-time for 10 to 20 hours a week reported that they were more likely to feel overwhelmed or stressed.
In general, the students said that they felt constantly under a great amount of pressure to fill any free time they have with voluntary activities, work and internships, while seeking to maintain good grades and a healthy social life.
We always hear about the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, but students seem to feel that their productivity will decrease if they try to relax during their free time.
Young undergraduates and graduates alike are apparently coming under pressure to fill their resumés up with work related to their field in order to build a functioning portfolio by the time they graduate. This work often involves unpaid or extremely underpaid internships.
While getting an education and a good grade in the final certificate is of extreme importance to many, it seems this is unfortunately no longer enough to find a good job, forcing many to sacrifice their free time for whatever opportunity they find that can somehow add something to their resumé, reducing their free time drastically. In view of this, it is no wonder that many of our youths are overstressed and overworked.
Denise Marie Grech is a writer for student media organisation Insite.