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what are the hardest things about being in college and is college a waste of time
i like to study#stu #student
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Doc’s Answer
Johniah starting college is a major transition in a person's life. On top of the changes in one's location, living arrangement, social group, and other life variables, academic expectations become much more rigid. You're required to be more independent than ever before in school, and your grades are determined by fewer, bigger assignments and exams. The most important thing you can do when your freshman year is proving to be more difficult than expected is to be understanding with yourself. Of course college is hard! It's supposed to be! And while it might seem like those around you are having an easier time, it's impossible to know what another person is experiencing, and you can only focus on your own journey.
So be patient with yourself during this adjustment period. Avoid any negative self-talk, and focus on the proactive steps you can take to improve your journey, rather than just feeling bad. Universities know that they're asking a lot of their students and that the transition from high school to college can be challenging. Fortunately, they want you to succeed, and there are resources available to students in your shoes. For example, teaching assistants (TAs) and professors, typically available during office hours, can help to guide you through your work, the concepts they're teaching, and their expectations of you. They're ready and willing to help, and we highly recommend that you take advantage of this valuable one-on-one time as a resource. Additionally, many universities offer student tutoring programs for specific classes or types of assignments, like writing, where your peers can guide you through coursework they've successfully handled in the past. And don't disregard the value of friends and classmates – study groups are an effective way to get some extra help.
Good Luck Johniah
JOIN A GROUP – One way to make college feel more like home is to do some of the activities you enjoy or find clubs that meet your interests. College campuses are filled with student clubs and organizations, club sports teams and other groups, so chances are good you'll find one that fits your needs.
MANAGE YOUR TIME – It's easy to get carried away with all the extra-curricular activities available on campus, but don't forget that you also have to study. Review your syllabi or ask your instructor to find out the deadlines for assignments and exams in each of your courses then use an online (or paper) calendar or planner to keep track of those deadlines. Be sure to schedule in time to study, so that you don't wait until the last minute - a practice that doesn't work so well in college.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF – It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the things you need to get done in college, and you can get stressed out if you're doing too much and not leaving any time for yourself. Being overstressed or tired can lead to illness or exhaustion. Make sure you get enough sleep while you're in college, and try to schedule in time to relax or exercise.
So be patient with yourself during this adjustment period. Avoid any negative self-talk, and focus on the proactive steps you can take to improve your journey, rather than just feeling bad. Universities know that they're asking a lot of their students and that the transition from high school to college can be challenging. Fortunately, they want you to succeed, and there are resources available to students in your shoes. For example, teaching assistants (TAs) and professors, typically available during office hours, can help to guide you through your work, the concepts they're teaching, and their expectations of you. They're ready and willing to help, and we highly recommend that you take advantage of this valuable one-on-one time as a resource. Additionally, many universities offer student tutoring programs for specific classes or types of assignments, like writing, where your peers can guide you through coursework they've successfully handled in the past. And don't disregard the value of friends and classmates – study groups are an effective way to get some extra help.
Good Luck Johniah
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George’s Answer
College isn't a waste of time provided you
1. Know what you want to do i.e. have an idea of what you want to study
2. What are the career outlooks of what you are majoring in - this is important because that basically will drive your cost benefit, like will doing a certain major only get me a job as a call center rep that I could have gotten without it or just attending junior college?
3. Will you be required to acquire further degrees just to find employment in that field - see fields like Psychology that require a Masters or PhD to be able to use it as opposed to a Computer Science where you don't need a Masters or PhD unless you are planning on going into research and teaching.
For me, the toughest thing about college was learning how to balance having fun and not having my school work suffer because when that happens you are essentially wasting money and more importantly time. There is nothing that says that college can't be fun, you just need to be aware that the fun doesn't overwhelm you and cause you to neglect school work.
1. Know what you want to do i.e. have an idea of what you want to study
2. What are the career outlooks of what you are majoring in - this is important because that basically will drive your cost benefit, like will doing a certain major only get me a job as a call center rep that I could have gotten without it or just attending junior college?
3. Will you be required to acquire further degrees just to find employment in that field - see fields like Psychology that require a Masters or PhD to be able to use it as opposed to a Computer Science where you don't need a Masters or PhD unless you are planning on going into research and teaching.
For me, the toughest thing about college was learning how to balance having fun and not having my school work suffer because when that happens you are essentially wasting money and more importantly time. There is nothing that says that college can't be fun, you just need to be aware that the fun doesn't overwhelm you and cause you to neglect school work.
Updated
Nasrin’s Answer
Johniah - Good advice here for you from everyone. One thing I will share with you is that for me going to college wasn't about the career I ended up having. It was about being open to learning. Find out how to best become someone who continually seeks to learn. Post college you may make many career choices and you may or may not leverage your degree. But you will for sure leverage the "Learning Skills" in all future endeavors.
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Asha’s Answer
College is never a waste of time. Try to get into the filed which you are most interested and passionate in and you will be able to do well in it. That will surely help you in going towards making a career option and be successful. Good luck.