The Great Depression

He's an-undergraduate, either male or female Although he used to be a freshman, now he's probably a senior. He might be from a competitive high school, but it's equally possible that he's from a small town. Chances are he's pre-professional. Along with many other students, he (or she) is flocking to UHS Mental Health Service during the reading week anxiety period.

According to Dr. Randolph Catlin, chief of clinical services at Mental Health Services, what amounts to 5 percent of all undergraduates "walk in" during each Reading Period, 10 to 15 percent more than the usual number during other times of the year. Students complain of trouble concentrating or sleeping; they say they find it difficult to organize their studying or have been more irritable than usual with their roommates. Catlin notes that this "significantly high" increase--a total of about 40 students--occurs again during hourly exam times.

Room 13, the student peer-counseling center located in the basement of Stoughton, also sees an increase in visitors, according to staffer Josh E. Milton '82-'84. And many freshman proctors and senior tutors note that large numbers of students come in to discuss Reading Period or exam anxiety.

It's impossible to peg the particular type of student likely to seek Reading Period counseling, but certain common characteristics do emerge. Although neither previous academic success, nor familiarity with a competitive environment, seem to correlate in any way with students seeking counseling, Catlin says personality makes a difference.

"It tends to be the student who comes to Harvard with a great deal resting on his image of himself being an achiever, as opposed to someone more at ease with the quality of his life, who feels more sure of himself," Catlin says. "There's definitely more risk of exam anxiety if someone's self-image is based on achievement." Milton says Room 13 sees the same problem: "They all feel they have to be incredible achievers."

Another feature common to most students seeking counseling is their professional goals. "My hunch is that people in the pre-professionals tend to be more anxious, because they tend to see more riding on the outcome," explains Catlin.

The bulk of Room 13's visitors are freshmen. Up until two years ago, that was true for Mental Health Services as well, but now this is changing. In what Catlin called a "very significant shift," more and more seniors are seeing therapists. Seniors are increasingly concerned about what they'll do when they leave Harvard, concern about what comes after college ... Reading Period is a pretty stressful time, and exam anxiety, for seniors in particular, is often more a concern that they won't be able to succeed--that they won't be able to fulfill their goals, rather than worries over a specific exam," he says.

According to Catlin, the exam becomes symbolic of a "more general failure"--and subsequently, fear of failing an exam is actually fear of failing--life. "Exam anxiety is a short-term symptom of fear of not living up to goals"

Another possibility, Catlin explains, is that, unknown to the person worrying, the exam may not even be the crux of the problem. "Sometimes, something is presented as an exam problem, and [the exam] turns out to be the tip of the iceberg. It could be career anxieties, emotional problems, problems with their family or roommates. It's festering--and then if a problem comes along, like an exam, it [the exam] can be seen as the reason for getting help." For some, "exams are a source of anxiety, when really there are underlying concerns they haven't confronted," Catlin says.

Although he stresses that "as far as exams in particular--we have no magic." Catlin emphasizes that therapists "can help students to look specifically at the exam--not as a symbol of anything more." In addition, the twelve service staff members--five psychiatrists, four psychologists, and three psychiatric staff workers--attempt to reassure students that they "have resources." After all, Catlin says, they come to Harvard because they are talented students.

"Primarily, we help them to see how they've dealt with anxiety in the past. They can cope in the future as they have in the past. We help them sort out reality from their fears and fantasies about what will happen after such a failure--to look at the problem and sort out the real issues that are causing them to be anxious," he says.

"We try to sort out what they have assigned to the meaning of these exams, and the grades," Catlin adds, noting that students often feel that lack of success on exams will affect career aspirations, family expectations, and relationships with peers.

Catlin suggests that anyone anxious about an exam come in and see a therapist. One advantage to catching exam anxiety early, he points out, is that if the exam anxiety is triggered solely because of the exam--because the student hasn't done the work, or didn't understand it--the problem can be transferred to the Bureau of Study Counsel, which works closely with Mental Health Services.

Although there are some students who come in several times to discuss their exam anxiety, many students only come in once. "Many are solo visits--not because they were dissatisfied, but because they just needed someone to talk to someone at one time, and they did." Only a small proportion of students are repeat customers and return for more than one Reading Period semester," Catlin says, noting that there are still always a few who are "chronically conscious about academia."

Senior tutors and freshman proctors also notice changes in student behavior during Reading Period. Vicki Jones, a Wiggles worth proctor, notes that noise levels in Yard dorms drop considerably, although the Union seems louder than ever. "And around the dorms, Saturday night is quiet--people are studying A weekend isn't like a weekend--Saturday is just another day in Reading Period," she says.

Yet Lowell House Senior Tutor Christopher Jedry asserts that despite an increase in students with academic or emotional problems, this Reading Period seems milder than some. "There seems to be less tension in the dining hall," he says. "Usually, it's very jangly, a lot of nervous laughter, that sort of thing. But there are certainly more people coming in than the rest of the term--ours is a very seasonal business."

Some advisors note that Reading Period blues are often accompanied by physical ailments. "There's a lot of illness and some nervous behavior." Jones says, "Freshmen find reading period intimidating, especially because of its length--it makes you think you're really supposed to do a lot in two weeks." She pauses a moment, then adds. "They're testing it out--they just want to know they're going to do O.K."

The tense atmosphere of Reading Period stimulates a lot of conversation about "Why I do and don't want to be in school," says Jedrey it is during this time that a lot of students start thinking seriously about taking leaves of absence

Students aren't the only ones affected by the tense atmosphere of Reading Period. s Although exams come and go, twinges of exam anxiety can apparently recur indefinitely

"I have my own Reading Period anxieties," confesses Thomas A. Dingman '67, assistant dean of the College and Leverett House senior tutor. "I always begin to dream about being unprepared for an exam. I wake up in a cold sweat. And I haven't been a student for a number of years--I graduated in '67"

Catlin notes that students are encouraged to come to UHS and talk about their anxieties. "We like to stress that you don't have to be sick to come and talk about these concerns," he says. There should be no stigma attached 'O a-need to talk about exam anxieties. "It's an important part of the college experience, to learn to deal with anxiety," he says. After all--"all life will be filled with anxiety."

'Sometimes, something is presented as an exam problem, and [the exam] turns out to be the tip of the iceberg. It could be career anxieties, emotional problems, problems with their family or roommates.' Dr. Randolph Catlin