August 12 marked the beginning of a new year at N.C . State—for those non-commuters, this was the start of their college experience and a landmark in their lives. College is where students can finally live on their own, and can do practically whatever they want. But with the freedom can also come many challenges, and being a college freshman can be tough. Many students turn to college tips, advice from peers and family or survival guides but soon learn that mastering college is a personal endeavor.
The main problem presented by college is, in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “with great freedom comes great responsibility.” Before college, freedom is restricted in a variety of ways by a variety of institutions. Family, education and government all play a role in confining freedom and controlling responsibility. Until the age of 18, children are considered minors in the eyes of the law. They are not held legally responsible for the majority of their actions. But after 18, the age when many go to college, responsibility is suddenly expanded and freedom of action unrestrained.
There are many college survival guides floating around in bookstores and on the internet claiming to have tips that will help deal with the struggles of college. Older siblings, parents and friends provide advice from their college days. But the difficult part of college is that it is a different experience for everyone and no one can completely prepare a new student for everything that is to come.
The problems faced by freshman mostly come from living alone. Living alone is exciting for many reasons, but it can also create certain issues.
One concern of many college freshmen is getting along with their roommates. Many freshmen choose to take a random roommate, either because they do not know anyone at their college or because they cannot see themselves living with the people they do know. Moving into a shared dorm room and living with someone one knows or doesn’t know can be stressful, especially when roommates get annoyed.
Another concern that comes with college is the actual classes. Students wonder whether they will be able to handle the workload, or balance their social life and school life. Freshmen wonder if they will even be able to find their classes, especially on a huge campus like N.C . State’s. The major issue is students have to manage their workload on their own. There are not daily homework assignments or study guides for every test, but simply a large amount of material that must be digested in a short amount of time.
School is a major issue, but the number one concern of the majority of incoming students is whether they will be able to make friends or fit in. College uproots just about everyone from their family and friend group back home, and if one does not find people to associate with in college, life can be very lonely.
The best solution for all of these problems is communication, and to be yourself. Communication doesn’t just include communication with a roommate or a friend, but also with oneself. Voice concerns to the people around you and bottled up emotions and messy situations can be easily avoided.
Communication with oneself includes being true to oneself. This includes students examining whether they are putting on a fake persona to make friends or get along with a roommate, or whether the person they are presenting accurately reflects who they are.
Don’t ignore the advice about partying in moderation or taking good notes in class. But remember that every student is different and every experience results in different advice. Take the general tips, like being yourself and communicating with others and take the other tips with a grain of salt. College is an exciting experience and after getting used to the responsibility as well as the freedom, it is rewarding and fun as well.