University life and experience make you perfect
Your Past Educational Experience
It is important to understand how college is different from high school and how well your own past educational
experiences have prepared you for what you will find in college. This is another way in which entering college
“with your eyes wide open” will prove beneficial.
College is a unique experience for all students—whether you just graduated from high school or are returning
to education after years of working. You are transitioning from one form of education to another. Some students
have difficulty because of the differences between college and high school.
Generally speaking, however, the college experience is usually different from high school in these ways:
• Time management is more important in college because of varying class and work schedules and other time commitments.
• College instructors seldom seek you out to offer extra help if you’re falling behind. You are on your own and expected to do the work, meet deadlines, and so on, without someone looking over your shoulder.
• There may be no attendance policy for classes. You are expected to be mature enough to come to class without fear of penalties.
• Many classes are large, making it easy to feel lost in a crowd.
• Many instructors, especially in large classes, teach by lecture, which can be difficult for those whose high school teachers interacted a great deal with students.
• College courses require more study time and require you to work on your own.
• Your social and personal life in college may be less supervised. Younger students may experience a sudden increase in freedom to do what they want.
• You will meet more people from more diverse backgrounds in college.
• All of these differences, along with a change in living situation for many students, can lead to emotional changes—both positive and negative.
What does all this add up to? For some students, the sudden independence and freedom can lead to negative consequences: sleeping late, skipping classes, missing deadlines, failing to study adequately for tests, and so on. Other Students who are highly motivated and work hard in their classes may also have difficulty transitioning to the higher academic standards of college. Suddenly, you’re responsible for everything. That can be thrilling but also
a challenge to get used to. All the chapters in this book will help you make this transition successfully.
Liking Yourself as a Student and Why That Matters
Of all the factors that affect how well one does in college, attitude is probably the single most important.
A positive attitude leads to motivation, and someone who is strongly motivated to succeed can overcome obstacles that may occur.
In Chapter 2, “Staying Motivated, Organised, and On Track”, we’ll discuss things you can do to keep a positive
attitude about college and stay motivated in your studies. But your attitude toward yourself as a student matters just as much. Now that you are in college, you are a new person, not just the same person who happens now to be a college student. What do you think of this new person?
If you’re feeling excited, enthusiastic, capable, and confident in your new life, great! Skip ahead to the next
section. But if you’re less sure how well you’ll do in your new role, take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. A lot of new college students, once they begin experiencing the differences from high school, start having doubts.
Some may start to feel “I’m not a good enough student” or “I can’t keep up with all this.” Some may become fearful or apathetic.
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