A Socio-Cultural Analysis of Student Stress at Bahria University: Campus Life and Coping Rituals

Abstract

The socio-cultural dimensions of stress among female students at Bahria University are the primary focus of this study, which examines how stress is not only experienced but also socially shaped, gendered, and ritualized. This research transcends psychological interpretations by utilizing an anthropological perspective to examine the emergence of stress in daily academic life, the silent management of stress, and the cultural significance of the coping mechanisms that students employ. The study collects rich, lived experiences that reflect the interplay between institutional culture, familial expectations, emotional suppression, and the quiet rituals of survival through in-depth narrative interviews. This research reframes stress as a socially constructed emotional experience that is rooted in cultural codes of fortitude, silence, and sacrifice, rather than as a personal failure. The paper advocates for the adoption of more culturally sensitive mental health strategies and acknowledges that students' coping mechanisms are acts of resilience, not frailty.