Challenges Faced by First Year University Students
University life can be a great experience. It can be fun and educational and, on the other hand, full of hardships. First-year students at university face a lot of challenges. These challenges can be divided into groups of which three are making adjustments, security and being lost.
First-year students have to make a lot of adjustments. Students face difficulty in adjusting to a completely new lifestyle. University life is totally different from living at home and going to high school. For example, many students are living alone and adjusting to being alone is difficult. Furthermore, students get a lot of freedom since they are renting or living alone. They have to adjust otherwise they will find themselves moving adrift from their studies. Too much freedom also leads to getting involved with wrong crowds. Thus, the new way of life is difficult to adjust to. The learning methods used at university is different from what it used to be at high school. Students find it difficult to fit in to this learning environment. At university, students have to attend lectures whereby a lecturer comes and discusses everything from the front. Students also have to do a lot by themselves, which they find difficult since they are used to the spoon feeding which they received at high school. Study workload is also immense therefore students have to stick to a strict timetable. Therefore, learning methods are difficult to adapt to for first-year students. Furthermore, adapting to the immense workload and influence from outside university is also difficult. Students have to study for longer hours to keep up and for their progress, and at the same time do household choirs, which is even more when the students are living away from their parents. Other external influences such as peer pressure, partying with friends and socializing also affects a first-year student’s life and studies. Thus, first-year students find it challenging to cope up with the workload. Security is one of
First-year students have to make a lot of adjustments. Students face difficulty in adjusting to a completely new lifestyle. University life is totally different from living at home and going to high school. For example, many students are living alone and adjusting to being alone is difficult. Furthermore, students get a lot of freedom since they are renting or living alone. They have to adjust otherwise they will find themselves moving adrift from their studies. Too much freedom also leads to getting involved with wrong crowds. Thus, the new way of life is difficult to adjust to. The learning methods used at university is different from what it used to be at high school. Students find it difficult to fit in to this learning environment. At university, students have to attend lectures whereby a lecturer comes and discusses everything from the front. Students also have to do a lot by themselves, which they find difficult since they are used to the spoon feeding which they received at high school. Study workload is also immense therefore students have to stick to a strict timetable. Therefore, learning methods are difficult to adapt to for first-year students. Furthermore, adapting to the immense workload and influence from outside university is also difficult. Students have to study for longer hours to keep up and for their progress, and at the same time do household choirs, which is even more when the students are living away from their parents. Other external influences such as peer pressure, partying with friends and socializing also affects a first-year student’s life and studies. Thus, first-year students find it challenging to cope up with the workload. Security is one of