One of the biggest sources of frustration for a student of almost any age is grades. In most educational systems, grades are used to sort, measure, and classify students, and even early grades can have a long-term impact on the student. Low or lower-than-expected grades can cause serious frustration in a student or, in some cases, even serious anxiety and depression.
Alongside other sources of pressure in a student's life that lead to frustration, deadlines frame the student experience. Projects, assignments, exams, essays, meetings, and other obligations flow together in a student's life under the pressure of deadlines. Sometimes several events occur at the same time and place extra frustration on a student whose workload may suddenly increase significantly. If a student is taking several difficult classes, due dates for assignments may not be harmonized, meaning some periods can be particularly busy.
While expectations for a student -- from herself, friends, family, teachers, and peers -- will vary from student to student, sometimes students face very high expectations, which can be a source of frustration. This is especially the case when high expectations intersect with close deadlines and a heavy workload. A failure to meet expectations can also result in increased and prolonged frustration in students.
Academic life is not the only source of frustration for a student. School life is almost always social, and so social pressures often accompany scholarly life. Such pressures include the need to "fit in" and to conform to social trends. If a student's personality does not fit the mainstream, this can be a source of anxiety and frustration, especially if social acceptance is lacking. If a student lacks a support network, social pressure can be particularly frustrating.