People idealize college life as a time of boundless possibilities, exciting adventures, and finding one's voice. College life is not without its challenges. Students face societal expectations, financial constraints, academic demands, and mental health issues, among many others. Quite a few pupils may find these challenges to be insurmountable.
University students celebrate on their graduation day. Kenyan university comrades go through much before they achieve their degrees.FILE|World Bank
One of the biggest challenges of college life is dealing with the rigorous academic standards and requirements. Under pressure to meet several deadlines and maintain excellent academic standards, students are juggling several projects, exams, and assignments at once. Because of the increased emphasis on independent study, some high school graduates may struggle to adjust to college life. The immense pressure on students to succeed academically and earn high results may cause significant distress, leading to exhaustion and burnout.
Financial difficulty is another big problem many students face while in college. The quick accumulation of expenditures such as tuition, textbooks, housing, and other experiences may pressure student finances, prompting them to reassess their spending habits and aspirations.
Several students work odd jobs during their free time as a means of financial support. To cover their expenses, they could even take out loans, which would bring even more of a financial burden and might negatively affect their health and academic performance.
Sleep deprivation is a common problem among college students because of all the pressures of classes, extracurriculars, and employment. A person's mental and physical health could suffer as a result of this.
Campus life presents many social problems as students learn to negotiate new relationships, friendships, and social dynamics. The pressure to fit in, make friends, and participate in school activities by joining media clubs and many others may make it challenging to accomplish and keep specific goals.
A sense of loneliness, isolation, and self-doubt might result from the desire to fit in and be accepted by a particular social group, exacerbating college life's difficulties.
With high levels of stress, anxiety, sadness, and mental health disorders being reported on campuses around the nation, mental health concerns are becoming a significant concern among college students. The stress of academic success, social expectations, financial limitations, and the demands of college life may be detrimental to a student's mental health.
Many students find it challenging to keep up with the rigours of college life. Students at universities are learning how to handle failure. For many students, this is their first experience dealing with failure, such as entering a relationship in which there is no peace at all, going through a lot, and then facing obstacles like becoming pregnant, STIs, HIV/AIDS, and so on or experiencing a heartbreak. For this reason, there has to be a dispensary close by at every institution so that students may get assistance from the nurses or for other needs—counselling services to guide self-care practices.
For the majority of college students, feeling pressure to achieve is commonplace. It might be from peers, family, friends, or inside. Sure, students could experience pressure to meet the expectations of their peers or themselves. Burnout may follow since it may cause tension and worry.
Electronic diversion. Due to their addiction to social media, text messages, and other digital temptations about how people live happy lives or the environments some of them used to live, many students may find it challenging to concentrate on their academics due to the advent of technology. This may be a significant challenge to focus and productivity.
Another difficulty many students have is social isolation. They may experience loneliness and homesickness after moving away from home to attend university. Making new acquaintances and adjusting to life in a new place may be challenging. This may be particularly challenging for overseas students who are also learning new languages and culture.
Students face various difficulties on campus, including social expectations, mental health concerns, academic demands, and deadlines. Students must acknowledge and deal with these issues, seek assistance from on-campus resources, including advisors, counsellors, and health services, and prioritize their well-being and self-care.
STORY By RUTH NYABOKE OMBATI, Second Year student, Chuka University pursuing a Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication
No comments
Post a Comment