Exam time stresses Laurentian University students

Laurentian University says visits to the campus clinic are increasing as students finish classes and start to prepare for final exams.

Some students, like Kayla Volpatti, say the anxiety can become too much.

As she sits alone at a table in Laurentian's Great Hall, with piles of papers scattered around her and her laptop Volpatti admits she's barely coping with the stress.

'I was actually hospitalized for the summer because of the anxiety.' —Kayla Volpatti, student

"Basically, your whole future is based on a number by your grade," she said. "And if I don't get the grades I need to go to post graduate studies than I'm kind of screwed over."

A fourth year student in sociology and psychology, Volpatti said there are times when her anxiety has become debilitating.

"I was actually hospitalized for the summer because of the anxiety," she said. "I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep … I was always throwing up [from] the worry of school and costs and everything in general."

The manager of Health and Wellness Services at the university says Volpatti is a common case this time of year. Lyne Rivet remarked the campus clinic can barely keep up with the demand as it sees roughly 70 students a day.

Many students have reported high-levels of stress, anxiety and depression.

Getting them the help they need can be problematic, as a lack of resources can be an issue.

"There's no access to physicians in the community," Rivet said, noting she doesn’t see that reality changing any time soon.