Abstract:

This study examines the relationship between stress, dedication, and procrastination among university students based on data collected from a semester-long monitoring survey. The dataset includes 306 students from various undergraduate years and master's programs, allowing for a broad analysis of academic behaviors. Using statistical visualizations and correlation analysis, we investigate how students manage their workload and stress levels as deadlines approach across different courses and academic levels. This study serves as a preliminary analysis, using statistical visualizations and correlation analysis to explore how students manage their workload and stress levels as deadlines approach across different courses and academic levels. These insights will inform near-term research employing Machine Learning techniques for predictive modeling and deeper pattern recognition.

Our preliminary findings indicate that stress and dedication levels increase progressively as assignment deadlines approach. Early in the task cycle (5 to 3 days before submission), both variables remain low, with some students showing early engagement. However, as the deadline nears (2 to 1 day before), most students exhibit higher dedication and stress levels, a pattern consistent with procrastination. A Pearson correlation analysis reveals a strong positive relationship (r = 0.78, p < 0.01) between stress and dedication, indicating that as students dedicate more time to tasks, their stress levels also rise. Additionally, stress levels consistently exceed dedication, suggesting an external psychological component beyond workload.

When analyzing individual courses, we observe distinct behavioral patterns. Introductory programming students display a classic procrastination trend, with stress and dedication peaking on the final day. Conversely, advanced AI master’s students show steady dedication and decreasing stress, implying effective workload distribution and time management probably because they are more experienced in managing deadlines and workload distribution.

These findings reinforce that deadline-induced stress is common but varies significantly based on study level and course requirements. While some students exhibit high self-regulation, most follow a last-minute effort strategy, leading to increased stress. The strong correlation between stress and dedication suggests that academic interventions should target time management and stress reduction techniques to promote healthier academic habits.

Keywords:

Stress, Procrastination, Time Management, Academic Workload, Student Behavior, Correlation Analysis.