Changes in Student Life: Transitioning to University

Social Adjustments in a New Environment

The life of a student changes distinctively when they begin University. Not only does it change academically, but it also changes socially. The circle of friends changes, and the depth of thinking and arguing changes as well. University marks the change from being a dependent student to an independent student. In University, a student has to take responsibility for their own self-management. This essay outlines personal life changes a student goes through when entering University, how university life is different from high school life, the kind of changes students go through when entering University, and the importance of University.

Navigating Loneliness and New Experiences

Being a first-year student can be so stressful. I was overwhelmed with the change of environment and having to adjust my ‘culture’ or rather daily routine. When I entered the University, I was stressed by the very basics. Firstly, I had to deal with loneliness because I did not have friends. It was very isolating. Everyone seemed to have friends whom they attended the same high school with. Being from a foreign country and a mature student, I found it difficult to make friends. I did not connect with anyone from my class whatsoever. This shaped my response to the life change. Instead of hanging around with friends, I started spending the rest of the day in the library. Discovering lecture venues, where the bathrooms were, and whom to ask was another stressful episode. The first university days were just boring, stressful, and exhausting.

Academic Independence and Adaptation

However, I also had positive experiences as a first-year student. I enjoy my classes; the lecturers are very professional, friendly, and always willing to help. The library environment is quiet and well-resourced. All in all, the University is a conducive environment for study; it aims to provide services to all challenged students so as to facilitate easy learning. There are facilities like the wellness center, which provides counseling and student support for career and financial support.

Academic Independence and Adaptation

There is a huge difference between University and high school. Unlike high school, University requires an individual to be responsible and manage their own time. In High school, there is little to no freedom; students depend solely on the teacher. On the other hand, in University, students become independent, and the environment requires intense reading not only from lecture notes but also from textbooks, journal articles, and some scholarly articles on scholarly websites. As a university student, it is one’s duty to keep up, research, and ask questions, but in high school, teachers check on students to make sure they are keeping up. In high school, attendance is taken, whereas in University, there is no attendance register, so again, a student has to be responsible enough to attend lectures without any supervision. Although it is difficult to get used to, students eventually adapt. In high school, there are classes of thirty to fifty students, whereas in University, there will be about five hundred students in a class. Adaptation is the huge leap students have to take, as the life of a high school student is totally different from the life of a university student.

Significance of University: Personal and Professional Growth

University is very important and necessary as it enhances one’s life. When one goes to University, one develops a critical level of thinking, talking, and the way one carries oneself. Personally, I think the University will make me a smarter person, help me establish my ‘link,’ and as well as get me a decent job. With education, it is highly likely to be employed as compared to someone who is not educated.

References:

1. Smith, J. “Changes in Student Life: Transitioning to University.”

2. Johnson, A. “Social and Psychological Adjustments of First-Year University Students.” 

Did you like this example?

273

11