Everyone’s experience going into the first year of college is different. Many students experience culture shock from the newfound combination of responsibility and freedom. The two come together to elicit a myriad of responses. However, these two components are important parts of the university experience. For some students, it is easy to get carried away.
The average high school student is used to raising a hand to ask permission to use the restroom. A few months after graduating from high school, college students are treated with vastly different levels of both respect and expectation.
For many students it is almost too easy to get caught up in either the freedom or responsibility that come with being a college student.
Those who stretch their freedom too far often forget about the responsibilities that come with being a college student, such as taking care of their dorm, communicating with professors, keeping up with their grades and more. It is easy to let these types of responsibilities go when one is too focused on freedom. However, on the flip side, it is easy to get wrapped up in the responsibility of it all, too.
While school is a vital part of one’s future, free time is still important, as well. Those who get wrapped up in their college responsibilities sometimes overextend themselves. It is important to know one’s limits and not to push oneself too hard.
For many college students it is easy to over-commit and have a problem saying “no.” The fear of missing out on social and educational experiences is a common trend among young adults, starting in middle or high school and continuing into college. Students want to make the most of their time at a university, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but comes with consequences.
Over-commitment can lead to many other issues, such as not taking care of one’s sleeping habits, eating habits and exercise. Without those three basic things, everything else can easily fall through the cracks, causing many other problems through a snowball effect.
Balance is a key part of managing responsibilities and freedom. Without balance one will either never have the free time to relax or never have the focus to succeed in school. This is why communication and time management are such important aspects to brush up on during the collegiate experience.
For one to have a successful and healthy experience in college, a student must take time to self-reflect, have an understanding of one’s limitations and live accordingly.
