This is that decisive time of the year for those who are hoping to make a smooth transition from school to college. Brimming with hope, trepidation and mixed thoughts, the transformation from being a “school” product to an evolving adult requires each student to carefully adopt a different approach to this phase of life. Perhaps some time-tested and proven suggestions which could help to tide over the initial phase of college life may prove useful.
For a fresher, it is important to soak in the campus culture and imbibe the institutional norms. It is mandatory to cultivate a sense of discipline which is essential in order to evolve into an adult. Moreover, it facilitates an alignment of individual and institutional interests with seamless integration between the two. For instance, the need for punctuality enables students to attend classes on schedule and complete their examinations within a given time frame. This eventually enhances academic performance.
Another crucial aspect of college life is the friendship that develops between classmates which is fostered during those three or five years together. It helps one to comprehend the nuances of human nature better and become a well-rounded individual.
In the initial days of college life, especially for those students who come from remote, semi-urban or tier two cities all by themselves, adjusting to life in an impersonal, large city can be daunting. There have been instances of teenagers with high school scores, getting into bad company and taking to smoking and alcohol in their attempt to imitate city slickers. Therefore, freshers need to choose their company with care and not go out of their way to blindly please another person in order to sustain a relationship.
For students on the road to adulthood, the key to success in graduation lies in the ability to strike a balance between self, academics and extra-curricular activities. If he/she is poor at time management, it will reflect on his/her efficiency and output. Teenage life is full of excitement, especially with supportive parents and teenagers tend to take everything for granted. However, when left on their own, without anyone to monitor them, their daily schedule usually gets nowhere.
A college student, however, will also have to cope with multiple pressures with the change in environment, develop critical thinking and cope with professors and advanced teaching styles. From a tightly-controlled school regimen to a liberal college routine, new students have to make their first adjustments. Next, the student has to develop critical thinking to discern for themselves between different values. There is no spoon-feeding in college. With school behind them, they are one step closer to the real world.
Then comes peer pressure and having “enough” money. In college, you will meet students from various walks of life. The student community will come with its own socio-economic classifications which spans the ultra-rich, middle and the weaker sections. Such a diverse cross -section of students creates its own social dynamics and has the potential to impact new students psychologically. Especially when a student flaunts his/her premium brand of motor cycle, mobile, laptop or wrist watch, it results in a ‘have—have-not’ divide and the not-so-rich students tend to develop pseudo-aspirations for these consumer durables/non durables.
Over and above these extraneous considerations, the students’ families need to have the monetary power to cater to incidental expenses related to academics like photocopying books or purchasing stationery.
A teenager’s transition from school to college should be a meaningful and memorable experience, perceived as a platform to get oriented as closely as possible to the real world. And in the process, they can evolve into an adult by developing characteristics like punctuality, maturity and discipline. These attributes will enable a school student to shine as a graduate and become a competent professional.
Source: DHN, July 5, 2012
