Going to college is like a dress rehearsal for adult life. You have to look after yourself, cook your meals, and manage your time. Sometimes you even have to work.
However, college students can get in trouble – and usually, it’s for the same small number of underlying reasons. In this post, we take a look at what they are so you can avoid them.
Procrastination
At school, you have to keep up with the syllabus. You can’t afford to fall behind. If you do, then parents and teachers come down on you hard, telling you to get your act together. You can’t get away with spending hour after hour on computer games when assignments are due the next day.
College, though, is a voluntary world. Nobody is going to force you to get on with work. And so you’re free to indulge in procrastination.
Putting things off, though, won’t help you. In fact, it is a leading reason why so many people drop out of college. They’re too busy doing anything and everything besides their actual work. And that can lead them to fall behind.
Boredom
Colleges present experiences with them as being fun-filled and intellectually stimulating. But the reality on the ground can be quite different.
Boredom can be a good thing, but it also leads to a lot of trouble. For instance, some students go off the rails, commit crimes, and require assistance from a criminal attorney.
Keeping boredom at bay, therefore, is essential. You want to avoid getting into the wrong crowd.
If you find boredom sneaking up on your find, ways to deal with it. Try, if possible, to become enamoured with your work. Look for ways to make it as enjoyable as you possibly can. Don’t see it as schoolwork. It’s not something you have to do to avoid getting detention. Instead, it’s your ticket to expertise and a life of success. Ultimately, it’s going to help you earn more money.
Stress
College stress is endemic on campuses up and down the country. The amount of pressure on young people to perform is tremendous. Unless you get good grades, you’ll struggle to get interviews with prospective employers, and the whole enterprise will have been a waste of time.
Stress can be a real issue, but don’t let it get the better of you. While grades are important, they don’t define your worth, life, or existence.
What’s more, even though the work can sometimes seem challenging, there’s no substitute for consistent effort. The more you can hammer away on topics, the more familiar they’ll become. Eventually, you’ll discover your ability to master them. And that can be a very good feeling indeed.
Loneliness
Finally, loneliness is often at the root of many issues that people face at university. Many students wind up going home after a few weeks because they can’t bear to be away from the parental environment. If that’s you, try to find support from the college pastoral community. Don’t worry: it’s something that they have to deal with regularly.
