College/University life

[Blade_of_darkness]

Lately, I'm starting to wonder how some people are able to go through being in college or university. My reason for this is that I barely managed to graduate from high school some time ago, & that has all but shattered my confidence in bettering myself. I just can't see myself lasting very long in college, much less a university.

So, if you either are currently attending college or university, or someone who graduated from either of those, I invite you to tell us how your life is in college or university. Most importantly, I ask you, are either or both of these harder than high school? Or am I being over-pessimistic, & that they're easier than I see them to be?

 

[FreakyLocz14]

Believe me, I thought about dropping out several times. I'm in my final year of university before I begin three long, painful years of law school.

 

[Pokémon Ranger ✩ Moriarty]

I struggled with university. In my first year I found it hard making friends because none of my flatmates or classmates shared any of my interests, and all they wanted to do was partying (something I hate). Then in my second year, my housemates started tormenting me to the point I had a total breakdown halfway through the academic year.

...Then things got better, because I told my university I was struggling. They in turn kept in regular contact with my GP, offered me free counselling services, gave me automatic extensions on my coursework, and (with my permission) kept all of my tutors up to speed with what was happening to me. I moved back home (I have a very supportive family) and commuted in for all of my third year.

Without my uni's support I wouldn't've gotten through my course, much less graduated with a 2:1 Hons. So all I can say is, look at your local colleges/universities, and what support they offer their students. Do they have a mental health/disability department? Onsite counsellors? Extra support?

Most of all, don't be discouraged. I was terrified of going to university, to the point that I actually believed I was going to die before I went because I couldn't imagine myself being brave enough to go. If you have local centres that deal with higher education, ask them for advice, or talk to a trusted friend/relative about what you want to do. It's hard to say 'believe in yourself' when you feel like pants, but doing something proactive will help you lift your doubts in yourself. =)

 

[Esper]

Okay, I had a nice long post, but PC ate it.

Short version: more flexibility in college/university than in high school. You get to choose your focus (which you'll hopefully enjoy) and your schedule isn't a straight 6 hours out of the day, everyday. Great, if you are good at managing your time.

 

[Oryx]

I struggled with university. In my first year I found it hard making friends because none of my flatmates or classmates shared any of my interests, and all they wanted to do was partying (something I hate). Then in my second year, my housemates started tormenting me to the point I had a total breakdown halfway through the academic year.

...Then things got better, because I told my university I was struggling. They in turn kept in regular contact with my GP, offered me free counselling services, gave me automatic extensions on my coursework, and (with my permission) kept all of my tutors up to speed with what was happening to me. I moved back home (I have a very supportive family) and commuted in for all of my third year.

Without my uni's support I wouldn't've gotten through my course, much less graduated with a 2:1 Hons. So all I can say is, look at your local colleges/universities, and what support they offer their students. Do they have a mental health/disability department? Onsite counsellors? Extra support?

Most of all, don't be discouraged. I was terrified of going to university, to the point that I actually believed I was going to die before I went because I couldn't imagine myself being brave enough to go. If you have local centres that deal with higher education, ask them for advice, or talk to a trusted friend/relative about what you want to do. It's hard to say 'believe in yourself' when you feel like pants, but doing something proactive will help you lift your doubts in yourself. =)

I agree to look at local colleges, but I wouldn't say to focus specifically on the mental health departments because that's a very specific issue to you, haha. I know I personally have never even seen the counsellors here, and neither have any of my friends.

What I would look into is a slightly easier college, a state school near your house maybe. The way classes work is different than high school (if you're in the right college) - the classes required for your major are generally ones you'd want to take anyway because you're interested in them. Although some colleges such as mine require a core set of classes for everyone regardless of major, there are many colleges that don't. If you go to a state school it shouldn't be too expensive and you can figure out if college is right for you.Or you can go to two years of community college and then decide from there if you'd like to transfer into a real university.

Whether college is harder or easier depends both on the high school you go to and the college you plan to go to. My high school was pretty tough so if I had gone to school locally I wouldn't have been challenged at all, but I am because I'm going to a very academically rigorous school, haha. I think the average public high school probably equates to the average state college life. You take less classes, have more free time that you're expected to manage. That's the biggest skill that will help in college - time management.

 

[Minishcap]

Depends on the subject you're studying, but generally university is harder. I cannot speak for where you live, but here university is also easier on your life. Lectures are usually not mandatory so you can have a life beside (work, exercise, friends etc)...but then again exams demands that you really study.

I managed to pass exams in medicine, physiology, anatomy, medical physics and mathematics without studying all day long; but then again I'm a person who is seriously interested in it and I didn't wait until the last weekend before studying.

Oh and I was way worse in high school than in university.

 

[Alex]

I graduated high school with an average that I'm not too proud of either. But that's because most of the classes I was taking in junior and senior year I hated, and was not interested in learning about. And consequently, I did not try very hard. Thankfully I was accepted to a program in Community College, which was sort of a joke and was an entry program into another program, for which you had to do an interview and present a portfolio in order to get considered for acceptance.

The transition between high school and College is a very interesting one. It wasn't easy for me and I had undergone a ton maturing in my first year out of high school and I like to think I've grown a lot since then. After being incredibly stressed for my interview, coupled with the fact that my grandfather had just died, I was in a completely whacked state of mind and went in for my assessment completely distraught and ready to accept failure and move on. I had had enough of school and figured working for a while and just making money would be a-okay.

Turns out I got accepted into the program. Which was great news for me, but also kind of a downer cause like I said, I was about ready to quit school for a while haha. But point is, Blade, College and University are definitely harder than high school, and if you don't think University is for you then by all means do not attend it. I'm with you there. I would get crushed in University, and it'd be a total waste of money. I'm studying Film Production at a Community College (mind you, it's very well known for its Film Production program) and I couldn't be in a better spot for myself. Minimal essays, practical tests instead of theoretical ones. It's a much better way to learn, in my opinion. But everyone gets depressed, loses confidence. I've been super stressed lately and have been thinking of a ton of alternatives. I've considered opening and owning a bar, or more lately, a Quesadilla shack (called White Guy's Quesadillas), or going abroad and teaching English or French in another country.

The key is though not to think so badly of yourself. You're just as capable as anyone else. It's depressing to see other people go on to big and better things, but chances are they don't know what the hell they're stepping into either and are just as self-conscious as you are. You can do anything if you just put your mind to it. It's corny advice but, it's still true.

 

[Reddit]

Personally, I think whether college is easier/harder depends greatly on the person. High school was easy for me because I remember through taking notes, I didn't need to study much. Anything I write down I remember, if not the first time I will the second time most definitely.

The same applies to my college courses. I don't have to study at all and I have A's in all my classes, as long as I take notes when reading and in class I'm fine. However, financial responsibilities surrounding you makes it a lot more stressful.

The fact that you take less classes a semester in college than in high school really helped me too.

 

[MurkMire]

I would say, on my part, that college life is stressful, no matter who you are. Sooner or later, somone reaches a breaking point. For me, I hit my breaking point during my first semester.

But that's a personal side-story. The thing is, college is just... something I'm not motivated to do anymore. =/

 

[Blade_of_darkness]

But everyone gets depressed, loses confidence. I've been super stressed lately and have been thinking of a ton of alternatives. I've considered opening and owning a bar, or more lately, a Quesadilla shack (called White Guy's Quesadillas), or going abroad and teaching English or French in another country.

You might have a bunch of alternatives to make a living, but the only thing that I can do is play video games, & I really don't know how this so-called "specialty" that I have would give me a place in society. Also, I consider myself as someone who cracks very easily to stress & pressure, so if I was in your shoes, I would end up being committed to a mental hospital or something.

The key is though not to think so badly of yourself. You're just as capable as anyone else. It's depressing to see other people go on to big and better things, but chances are they don't know what the hell they're stepping into either and are just as self-conscious as you are. You can do anything if you just put your mind to it. It's corny advice but, it's still true.

I really doubt that my view of myself will ever change, as I've got a multitude of issues that I'm torturing myself with - some of which I fear that I'll never be able to resolve...

 

[Alex]

You might have a bunch of alternatives to make a living, but the only thing that I can do is play video games, & I really don't know how this so-called "specialty" that I have would give me a place in society. Also, I consider myself as someone who cracks very easily to stress & pressure, so if I was in your shoes, I would end up being committed to a mental hospital or something.

All I do is roam the Internet dude haha. Video games are seen as a total waste of time but I think that's total bull. You could easily get into video game design, or writing for video games. I've considered it, too. I dunno if you like to play around with Photoshop or not but you could definitely develop an interest in that field, and you can probably find a College or Comm. College that teaches you some basics of game design. As for cracking easily, you kind of build a tolerance to that the more you're put in that situation. You might crack easy the first two or three times, but you learn to cope and deal with stress. That I can guarantee.

I really doubt that my view of myself will ever change, as I've got a multitude of issues that I'm torturing myself with - some of which I fear that I'll never be able to resolve...

Well dude you can always look for professional help. There's no shame in that. I went to see a therapist for nearly two years and it straightened me out pretty well. And it kinda helps you learn to deal with things. After I stopped seeing my therapist, obviously, other things started happening in my life that I had to cope with and I got through them. And I'm prepared for the next set of issues that should come. It's all a part of growing up dude.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

Classes for me were much harder in college. I was at the top of my class in high school, but found myself struggling to make B's my first semester. Things got easier during my second and third year, but got difficult again during my senior year, and graduate school just got more difficult. Starting in grad school the quality of professors got steadily worse too.

Outside of class, though, college was the best 8 and a half years of my life :) I lived on campus, and I felt that was the best living option for me since I could easily get to events on campus and to classes, and I never really needed a car. I had a great social life in college, meeting with friends a lot for clubs and meetings and in general just had a great time outside of class. Oh, how I want to go back, even though I've only been out for about a year :)

 

[Fluorescent Dinosaur]

I LOVE BEING IN COLLEGE.

Holy crap. It's AMAZING.

There is less work involved, but at the same time the work you do is more complicated and requires actual thought. You won't have to waste your time filling out worksheets as much, but unless you love papers those'll probably bum you out. I spend at least an hour or so a day studying, and then another two hours studying Japanese and Korean. Which is a lot.

BUT WOW. IT IS SO MUCH FUN. The parties are amazing. I joined a sorority, which has been a lot of fun. I'm also in this other really cool group and just got back from a conference for that which was fun. There's a lot of hanging out with friends, chilling, going crazy and other stuff that I probably can't mention here.

 

[Throat]

I LOVE BEING IN COLLEGE.

Holy crap. It's AMAZING.

There is less work involved, but at the same time the work you do is more complicated and requires actual thought. You won't have to waste your time filling out worksheets as much, but unless you love papers those'll probably bum you out. I spend at least an hour or so a day studying, and then another two hours studying Japanese and Korean. Which is a lot.

BUT WOW. IT IS SO MUCH FUN. The parties are amazing. I joined a sorority, which has been a lot of fun. I'm also in this other really cool group and just got back from a conference for that which was fun. There's a lot of hanging out with friends, chilling, going crazy and other stuff that I probably can't mention here.

This is what I like to read.


Life is way better now that I'm on college than it was back then during highschool. I used to be shy, trait which I completely killed after finishing highschool, and now I'm able to easily interact with strangers, allowing me to make way more friends and acquaitances. To be honest, I think I was supposed to be a hard worker, but since it wouldn't pay much and I do have some potential I could use, I'm doing Computer Engineering, which happens to be very fun.