The first area mostly involves everything that is in connection to the academic requirements of college students in order to pass the course. This will entail most of the time of college life to produce passing grades, completion of thesis, review for examinations and all other paraphernalia that represent the core work in educating the students. The second area involves the campus organizations and the extra-curricular activities of students which include campus politics. Some students join fraternities and sororities in order to establish political affiliations. While there are also some of the college students who run for office as part of the campus politics. The third area includes the personal relationships that a college student builds, when he or she becomes friends with their roommates, dorm mates and get involve in dating, courtship, sex and romantic interaction with the opposite sex.
The academic performance of the students should be the main focus of college life because it will help shape a good future for the students in terms of getting good grades and apply for lucrative job opportunities in the future. However, based on my personal observation, most of the students are involved in building relationships and looking forward to memorable experiences in college life than to concentrate on the academic work. I consider learning as the most important aspect of college life. Being an international student, I am fully aware of the difficulties of college life especially on the language barrier which affects the efficiency of the educational process. It is recommended that the students are prepared intellectually, emotionally and physically to take on the challenge on the fundamental responsibilities of college life.
In terms of social life, a college student will be exposed to several extracurricular activities such as fraternity and sorority parties, hanging out with new friends and the ability to impose self-regulations. There are many temptations in college life because of the new-found freedom given the college students unlike in high school where parents impose curfews. For a normal college student, he or she will be on her own and will have to decide how to use time efficiently. College life is different from high school since the parents are not present to watch over the children to see to it that they complete their assignments. College students take on the responsibility to make sure that they pass their subjects and complete their chosen course to earn a degree. This is the stepping stone towards a good future.
The college experience will help the young adults to merge into the real world. A typical freshman student will be facing financial challenges such as payment of bills, balancing the check book, cooking, cleaning and taking care of the laundry. It is the time when parents will not be there to decide for their child. The college student has to make up his or her own decision and decide what is right and wrong. Being away from the comforts of their own homes can also affect the academic life of college students, especially during times that they get sick, stressed out, nervous and needs the company of their family. College students continue to establish their connection with their loved ones on order to balance the demands of college life.
It is also essential for freshman students to attend the freshman orientation to be able to have an overview of what to expect from the university. It gives the freshman students the opportunity to teach them the basic programs that are designed to help them familiarize themselves with the amenities available on campus (Farthing 10). There are incidents when freshman students feel lost and struggle their way inside the campus grounds.
Another challenge for college students is how to set up their rooms to become the conducive place to study and rest at the same time. Despite the small size of the dormitories and unusual layouts of the dormitory rooms, the college student should set up the room in the way that will suit his or her style to personalize the room as a contributory factor to encourage study habits. It is also important for the college students to make sure that their room plan will follow the rules of the dormitory and to make compromises with their roommates with regard to the modifications.
The best weapon to achieve academic success in college life is to have the right attitude and determination that everything is possible. The process of learning is the skills that college students can use for the rest of their lives. The good grades will help them to advance to the next step which is landing a desirable job and to be admitted to a competitive graduate program (Kadar 1). Although college life may be exciting since it opens the door to many opportunities and real-life experiences, it is important to bear in mind that college life should be focused on learning and achieving academic excellence. Studying hard and to work hard for good grades must be the goal of all college students. It is important to establish good grades during the first semester by studying alone and finish all the reading assignments. Making the extra effort will pay off eventually by aiming high. The positive outlook and attitude of students will help them to survive the four years of college life. To aim for good grades will become the biggest challenge that the students will have to face. Time management is the key towards getting good grades. It is also best for the college students to stay focused on their goals and not to become distracted with trivial matters such as parties, popularity and the need to be accepted. To conclude, the first area of college life is the most important among the three aspects because it deals with everything in relation to the academic requirements of college students in order to pass the course by getting good grades, being prepared during examinations and submitting paper works during the deadline.
Works Cited:
Becker, Howard Saul and Everett Cherrington Hughes. Making the Grade: The
Academic Side of College Life. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 2003.
Print.
Farthing, Jennifer. College Unzipped: An All-access, Backstage Pass Into College Life.
New York: Kaplan, 2007. Print.Top of Form
Grigsby, Mary. College Life through the Eyes of Students. Albany. State University of
New York Press: Albany, 2009. Print.
Kadar, Andrew G. College Life 102: The No-Bull Guide to a Great Freshman Year.
Lincoln, N.E.: iUniverse, 2006. Print.
Paulsen, Kenneth J. Living the College Life: Real Students, Real Experiences, Real
Advice. Indianapolis: Wiley, 2005. Print.
