First-Year Students and Issues to Cope with Essay (Article)

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Updated: Nov 19th, 2023

Proper Scheduling

Despite all the excitement and expectations of new life experience caused by the transition to college, this process is also accomplished with much stress for a new student. Freshman year obviously plays a significant role in the personal development as it symbolizes a start of new life – adult life. This is the first time when a student is the only person responsible for his or her well-being; that is why it is extremelybeneficial to make this start fresh and smooth to succeed with further student’s troubles.

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The transition from high school opens new opportunities to the freshman such as afreedom of decision making, a new environment, and new acquaintances.However, this newly found freedom also demands much responsibility and mature behavior as the freshman is responsible for all the actions he or she makes; and there is no need to hope for somebody’s assistance. To cope with challenging situations provoked by the new environment is possible through proper socializing and time management.

It is impressive that college gives more time, which is possible to spend according to one’s own mind, but it also demands more time to fulfill the work assigned. Each student should clearly understand that attending the classes is not enough to succeed, it is necessary to perform a lot of additional work and research. This obviously needs a proper scheduling of the day to avoid stress or headaches. Within first months at college, the student faces tests and other academic obstacles that make him or her study hard for hours.

The well-performed coordination of scheduling issues distributes work in portions that can be made with little effort and stress. Procrastination in the studying process is not the choice; it is no longer the norm to do the task in the last minute such as the night before it is due. Getting assignmentsdone in advance or parts is the way to avoid stress pertaining to academic issues, especially within first months at college.

While coping with the college assignments and tasks, it is helpful for the freshman to understand the limits. Proper scheduling can be done with accordance to the knowledge how fast and how much work can a student do. It is advantageous to split up reading materials of big amounts such as novels as it helps to avoid monotony, tiredness, and boredom, and thus causes less stress. Performing tasks assigned in sections needs planning the time accordingly to manage academic tasks in a timely manner.

It is necessary to keep in mind that scheduling also involves social life of a student, besides his obligatory academic assignments. A variety of extra seminars, conferences, workshops, and group studies is offered to students to acquire more knowledge, improve existing skills, and expand the abilities.They also need time and energy and sometimes cause much stress to freshmen who find it hard to adjust to so many changes and academic requirements.

The transition to college is also accomplished with the necessity to get new acquaintances and friends. The student society often provides students with a range of clubs, associations, and groups reflecting different interest and life positions. These communities also require time, especially at the beginning to prove one to be a valued member. Therefore, the main cornerstone in the freshman adjustment with little stress experienced is a proper scheduling of numerous assignments and activities to be done a day.

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Overcoming Social Stress

The transition from high school to college means the transition from home with caring parents and family to an adult life with no support behind the back. The situation of leaving the usual environment a student is accustomed to can cause serious social stress.

Though it is an exciting feeling of becoming a grown-up and receiving the ability to make one’s own decisions, college life also requires a lot of responsibility and maturity. Misunderstandings of these issues on the part of freshmen who have just got freedom make them struggle many difficulties at the beginning of their college experience.

A new life needs to create a new social network to get adjusted in the strange environment. The first significant issue the freshman deals with is sharing a room with a complete stranger. It is essential to take into consideration that the roommate if he or she is also a freshman also experiences difficulties caused by leaving parental house. Hence, the two strange people have much in common – the necessity to establish themselves in the student society, adjust to college life tempo, and succeed in the educational process.

From the first sight, a new roommate can seem a disaster that is why it is critical to take into account his or her level of stress in this situation. The other significant tip is to get acquainted with the roommate’s habits, interests, and preferences and develop a joint plan for a pleasant habitation. Even two entirely different students can successfully live together if they are tolerant to each other’s needs and desires, and nobody tries to establish the dominance.

Besides dealing with a roommate, a freshman also faces the problem to get new acquaintances and friends to avoid loneliness and lack of communication. Every school year starts with a party where a freshman can meet other new students, findcommon interests, or just get involved in the student life.

There are a number of places of interest organized by different student associations to vary a student life and supplement the monotonous academic study with new impressions and experiences. The student society also conducts constant meetings and travels that serve to increase cooperation and interaction among students.

The most notable thing while looking for new friends and mates is to be one’s own person; there is no need to do the thing everyone else does if there is no wish to. A freshman should not worry that he or she does is not going to fit any community or student group unless he or she pretends to be someone else. The student life can be much enjoyable if a freshman pursues his or her own interests and likings and thus, finds the most convenient communication environment.

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As the college life is a first stage of adult life, it requires mature behavior and relationships with mates, teachers, and partners. The educational staff understands the challenging difficulties a student faces while adjusting in college; however, it is only a student’s task to cope with the assigned work, social life, and living issues.

If a freshman goes to a party, he or she has to understand that staying awake late leads to the late arrival to classes, bad concentration, and hasty; those do not serve for a substantial advancement or relaxing mental condition.

One of the important factors of the successful study process is a sufficient socialization in the student community; this requires close communication with a roommate, course mates, and other students. Nevertheless, social life should not exclude education process or influence progress in studies. An adult person who a freshman already is should cope with all aspects in a grown-up way.

Stress Relievers

In addition to academic and social challenging issues, a freshman also experiences stress of the situation in general. The process and understanding of becoming an adult often leads to lower self-esteem and confidence in one’s own abilities to manage a variety of matters and tasks.

A new environment and a necessity to share a living place with a stranger can cause stress and a feeling of loneliness. Multiple academic assignments, tests, and hard study arouse adrenaline rush; such busy social life is also accomplished with an increased usage of caffeine and a necessity to find a part-time job.

There are several tips helpful to adjust and feel comfortable in the college environment. It is crucial to find or create one’s own space where a freshman can focus and concentrate on the study he or she is coping with or just be alone for a while. If a freshman has an ever-present or noisy roommate, the quiet place can be found in the library or a comfortable corner in the coffee shop. During warm periods, the privacy can be established under a big tree far from crowded paces and lanes.

Proper physical condition reflects proper mental one; so a freshman should pay attention to some physical activities to avoid stress. Walking is a perfect relaxation option for the mind; besides, it can be done everywhere and free of charge. A freshman can walk to classes, between them, to a friend’s house or shops, he or she just need to take this advantage.

Another relaxing activity is yoga that is an excellent form of exercise and significantly benefits the health condition. Yoga classes are offered at gyms and in fresh air, and it can be done at different parts of the day.

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A balance of the right food and enough sleep also assist in avoiding student stress. Though fast food is quick, cheap, and convenient, it does not provide a freshman with all necessary vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Constant consumption of fruit, vegetables, fish, and juices balance the food ration and stimulate the learning process.

A proper diet should be accomplished with enough sleeping hours that help the brain to relax and withdraw the useless information. Lots of freshmen find it hard to get enough sleep because they cannot manage their busy schedules. Thus, the learning process should be organized with either late stays awake or morning classes.

There are also a number of stress reliever techniques helpful in overcoming tense situations during college study. The usual lack of sleep can be supplemented with power naps during the day; they are short but enough to relax the mind and boost its productivity. The other helpful technique is visualization that needs several minutes to bring peace and calm to the tired freshman. A student just needs to occupy a comfortable position, close the eyes, and create a line of imagery pictures.

The visualization can be accompanied with breathing exercise eliminating the student from stress. A technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a good start and end of the student day’ the activity involves tensing and relaxing all body muscles. Listening to classic music also helps to concentrate within the learning process, wake up mental productivity, and relax brains at the end of the day.

Despite various techniques serving to relieve stress, it is important to avoid student pitfalls. Proper scheduling of the fulfillment of assignments prevents from all-night studying to manage the tasks due to deadline limits. Proper sleep provides a compelling mental productivity and does not require constant caffeine consumptions. Long night parties also damage the studying process and are better to be exchanged for study groups that are helpful in education and provide necessary communication.

A Perfect Study Session

Body and Mind Preparation for Exams

It is obvious that exam period is not a pleasant one as it requires much effort and energy and brings much stress and sometimes frustration. The success in studies is not a gift or blessing, it is a result of a right self-organization aimed to boost brain potential and involve all the abilities. The preparation for an exam should not be done in the last minute and should follow the proper learning of the material during classes and home assignments.

A diligent student do not need to study at nights and in a harsh, he or she just need to follow the tips directed to get the body and mind ready. If the student does not enjoy procrastination during the semester, it is easy for him or her to cope with the preparation.

The main tips of proper exam preparation are a masterly study organization, usage of additional studying sources and techniques, and healthy body condition. The first thing to do is to set a study time and stick to it every day, it is crucial to take constant breaks to relax the mind.

The time should be managed wisely to avoid long-term study sessions, and it is better to dedicate the first part of the day for mental activities.The clear workplace plays a significant role in the educational progress, thus, the desk should be organized to create a positive work environment. If there is no need and help, it is reasonable to cut out social media, TV, and video games before exams.

Before the preparation starts, the student should set goals pertaining to the study process such as how much is aimed to be accomplished a day; moreover, personal limits should be involved in the schedule planning. Setting priorities helps to focus on the most important exams first and stay concentrated on the major aspects.

There is no need to stress too much and be obsessed with the results and consequences as it switches the priorities during the preparation process. It is good to establish cooperation with classmates in person and online to swap notes and conduct study session in groups.

Additional materials and techniques in the preparation assist in boosting brain abilities and potential. There are three main types of memory – visual, audial, and kinesthetic which should be engaged in the studying process. The usage of flashcards and presentations accumulate visual memory, audio sets and music accompaniment serve for audial memory, creation of hand mockups, diagrams, or other supplementing material works for kinesthetic memory.

Gathering old notes and papers, rereading some textbook chapters, and redoing old tests and quizzes help to remind the studies’ material. Besides personal material, it is good to attend the library to expand the knowledge in the field and join study groups that target to provide better information cover within a shorter time period as every member does only a part of the job.

Online resources offer anextensive help in finding necessary information and training; it is reasonable to keep in mind and use online quiz applications such as Quizlet. At the end of the preparation, it is beneficial to answer all study guide questions to check the achieved level of proficiency.

Even proper scheduling and usage of additional materials cannot lead to a good advancement if they are not accompanied by right health condition. Hence, it is necessary to eat well, especially chocolate, fish, and berries that accumulate brain productivity.

The student should also get 8 hours of sound sleep to relax between study sessions; regular exercises also contribute to the successful studying process.It is good to receive plenty of fresh air and drink much water and juice to stay hydrated; it is better to have coffee only once a day and in the morning to stimulate the brain activity and let it relax in the afternoon.

Special Techniques

The process of exam preparation is a difficult period demanding hard effort and causing much stress to students. The first rule is obviously to study every day during classes, lectures, and seminars and manage assignments, but even such diligent students face the problem to copy with upcoming examinations. The advancement in studies requires proper scheduling, constant studying, and knowledge of some additional techniques that help to accumulate brain productivity and use its full potential.

The Pomodoro Technique was created and developed to improve time management of students in exam preparation. The main idea of the technique is a study structure consisting of constant breaks and short study periods. There is no need to take a book and dedicate oneself to its investigation for three or more hours as the brain cannot absorb all the read information.

That is why the best way to gain knowledge and make it a long-term memory is to accomplish studies in sections. This allows the student to accomplish the task and keep continuous improvement with little effort and stress through effective time management.

The first step in Pomodoro Technique is to decide on a task, set studying priorities, and perform a concentrated study within 25 minutes. Afterwards, it is necessary to take a 5-minute break to switch the attention from studies and relax the brain. This study-break session can be repeated three times when it is time for a longer break; it is good to take it in fresh air and go for a short walk. The technique is available in application forms such as FocusBooster, Pomodoro, and Pomodoro Time Management Lite. Such sufficient time management helps to achieve educational results with a lot less time spent.

Another excellent technique is an 80/20 rule also known as the Pareto Principle that claims that 80% of student results need only 20% of his or her effort.The main key to achieve sufficient progress is not based on the intelligence level but study skills to focus on the right material needed to accomplish the task.

There are syllabus documents developed for each subject in student course study; these papers and guidelines are available in print and online and should be used to avoid wasting time during the exam preparation process. Moreover, they often include glossary of terms that are required to be learnt while completing course study.

There are also various study guides sold in shops that are helpful in filling gaps in student knowledge. The educational systems claim no separation between students’ outcomes and marks they get; nevertheless, class studies and textbooks are not enough to acquire the course material.

Hence, study guides provide instructions of necessary activities and works to perform a full range of knowledge and focus on right things. The right concentration leads to the cover of all required course content and improves academic performance correspondingly.

One more thing pertaining to time management is a power nap that is a recreation break between study sessions. The main principle of power nap is its short term that, however, allows the body and the mind to relax and prepare for a further work. There are two great ways to experience a power nap not longer than 20 minutes that is enough to gain a new mental energy.

It sounds silly, but it is good to drink coffee when you are extremely tired; the caffeine starts work after 20 minutes, so there is an opportunity to have a short nap before waking up from it. Another way is to set an alarm at 30 minutes and get into bed with the clothes on. Taking into consideration time necessary to fall asleep, the nap takes about 20 minutes; and it is easier to get up when having clothes on already.

Ways to Overcome Distractions

The preparation for exams demands a complete attention to the subject and full concentration on its content. There are a lot of things that interrupt the student from the learning process such as Internet surfing like Facebook and Youtube, noisy roommates, or student parties.

These distractions can be taken as minor hazards for a good advancement; however, it is better to minimize their effects. The progress in education can be achieved only under condition of the complete focus on the assignment; thus, there are some tips assisting in getting rid of surrounding distractions.

The first tip is to turn off the music as it is almost impossible to acquire new and difficult information while listening to song lyrics. The only type of music permissible in the preparation is classic music which is slow and calm and helps to concentrate on the subject content.

Moreover, it also isolates student ears from other minor noises such as outside talks, traffic noise, and murmurs. Therefore, it is reasonable to inform the roommates about one’s study hours and intentions to avoid bothering and interruption on the part of them.

The best place to study is an isolated place where a student can dedicate all effort and concentration to accomplish the task assigned. If it is not possible to stay alone in the room, there are other quiet places perfect for studying like the library or small coffee shops. There is no much difference where to stay for studying, but the student shouldbein a place provoking no temptation to start up a conversation with a friend.

One of the biggest distractions nowadays is the Internet that gives a plenty of opportunities to be distracted from studying for a short time; in fact, most of browsing takes much time and is anenormous waste of learning productivity. The best way to beat this temptation is to cut off the internet or disconnect Wi-Fi connection during the studying. In case, the Internet is needed for some research, the student should conduct it and save the findings on the desktop to prevent further need in the Net.

Other prominent distractors are TV and cell phones that are always at hand and ready to destroy the learning process. Hence, it is better to put the phone silent and out of the view during intense study sessions. There should not be any TV on the background as it lowers the task accomplishment or stops it at all. Majority of favourite programs and films can be watched on the computer later or recorded on TV; thus, no TV, computer games, or phone talks are acceptable in the exam preparation.

One more common distractor is munching, almost every student likes eating while doing homework. Firstly, it is worthless because the focus switches from the study content to the food consuming with all its flavours and aromas.

In scientific language, the blood leaves the brains and concentrates in the stomach to digest the eaten stuff; so it is hard to acquire new information while eating. Secondly, the student desk has to contain only education-related items, and it is often full of valuable papers and course books that can be stained with fat and colorful spots from food.

It is obvious from the said above that there are many distractions, and they are always going to be to get a reason to withdraw from studying. Only a student is responsible for scheduling proper preparation process to achieve success in the studying. The advancement requires self-control to avoid and prevent the possibility of distractors and manage to focus on the work and complete it without time wasting.

Get Your Things Straight

The Importance of College Education

It is obviously prestigious to get a college degree, and many students try hard to catch the opportunity to transit from high school to a college institution. However, after entering a college environment, many change their goals and sometimes even do not see their withdrawn from the most important one.

Despite a variety of entertainments, parties, and clubs that are a result of newly found freedom to make decisions and behave correspondently; it is essential to realize that the most significant part that can be gained in college is education.

First of all, college is a conscious choice of what and how to learn with a perspective for future career and well-being. It is a place where a student can acquire knowledge he or she is passionate about and thus, enjoy the learning process. Moreover, college education provides strong competence that plays a significant role in the professional development and high self-efficacy. The advancement in studies increases personal self-esteem and confidence in one’s own abilities and potential.

Besides strong knowledge and skills, college education also provides a student with useful relationships that can be helpful in future life. Classmates with various backgrounds and interests expand each other’s mental outlooks and help a student grow as a person. The variety of opportunities and academic focus assist in figuring out who the person is and who he or she wants to be. This understanding is necessary for everyone to find one’s own place in life and society.

College education is also an opportunity to achieve independence – personal and financial one. This does not only concerns moving from parents’ house, but becoming a responsible adult to make decisions and develop strategies and plans aimed at further prosperity. Hard and diligent studying is often rewarded with part time jobs in the field of future career with a high potential of further promotions and financial stability.

Knowledge and skills acquired during college education are applicable not only in the future career, they are animmense help in managing personal life. Such abilities as analytical thinking and excellent speaking and reasoning skillsare welcomed in the job market and make a candidate more marketable. Even general knowledge of economics and law make the person more impregnable in various situations in daily existence.

Besides academic disciplines, college education offers a plenty of activities, involvement in which can become a bullet point in a student’s future resume. For instance, Student Government develops knowledge in politics and law and accumulates leadership abilities and interpersonal skills.

It is possible to find any group of interest to improve the attainments and explore something new. Moreover, such groups provide practical experience that can be a first professional experience in the field of accounting, journalistic, medicine, sociology, or tutoring.

Thus, college education in its initial meaning is anexcellent source of knowledge and development. That is why, it is necessary to keep oneself focused on the educational opportunities rather that to be distracted by student parties and entertainments. It is obviously hard and demands much energy and effort to complete a course and get a degree, but it is worth it. And it may be a terrific pride to become the first in the family to graduate from college or be the new one from a long line of family graduates.

Tangible Reasons to Get College Education

There are many reasons why students come to college; ones seek freedom from home and parents, others are eager to acquire new knowledge and skills. There are those who go to college because they are made to; as a result they need nothing but have fun and entertainment.

Despite all the reasons, it is certainly worth trying to get from college life as much as it is possible – new acquaintances, experiences, and abilities. Nevertheless, the main reason to stay in college and make much effort to complete a degree is to get an education. That is why college education should be taken as a first stage in a professional career aimed at achieving money, prosperity, and independence.

The main motive that rules almost every person in the contemporary world is money.Of course, every job is paid, but the difference is how much a person can get for the work he or she does.

College education requires constant hard work to accomplish assigned tasks, cover course content, conduct necessary researches, and write lots of essay and papers. Hence, this education gives a plenty of skills and knowledge in the field of the student major. A well-qualified student with a college diploma is more likely to get a well-paid job with a potentially rising salary.Consistent development and improvement of knowledge open the doors to a further adult life with a stable income.

Another advantage of college education is a variety of opportunities a student gets with a degree in hand. Besides a number of subjects pertaining to the major course, college education offers a range of different workshops, lectures, seminars, and other methods of the professional development.

While a student is at college, he or she should grab any opportunity of acquiring new skills or abilities as this serves for his or her future prosperity. After graduation, a college student receives more job openings and more chances at promotions; moreover, a variety of skills accumulated at college can be applied to a variety of fields.

Moreover, college education does not only influence a future career of a current student, it empowers him or her with a plenty of knowledge applicable in everyday life. College experience enriches students’ knowledge in the way to control a personal life’s logistics and improve day-to-day existence. It is obviously helpful to know how to read a lease or handle the finances of one’s own family; college education also provides an understanding of how market changes influence everyone’s life such as retirement accounts.

No one feels secure against negative life experience like a loss of job place, bankruptcy of the company, or global economic crisis; however, a person with college knowledge is more likely to overcome such difficulties. Strong knowledge, acquired marketable skills, and significant money account are helpful when life throws a curve. The first two options are offered by college education, the third is their consequence when hard work at college is rewarded by a well-paid job.

Thus college education is not only a graduation diploma, it is a door for the successful future. That is why, when a student gets to college his or her main focus should be education; of course, there is no need to be obsessed with it; entertainment activities and clubs are developed specially to provide proper relaxation and recreation between study sessions. It is just necessary to keep in mind that parties can be later, and college is an initial source of knowledge that is increasingly important in the job market.

Intangible Reasons to get College Education

College education is acrucial stage in building one’s professional career; it is the first step to achieve financial prosperity and independence. Besides vivid tangible reasons of gaining a college degree, there are a number of intangible reasons claiming to personal self-esteem, confidence, and satisfaction.

These reasons help students to focus on the educational process at college as on the main achievement point during college experience. It often happens that after the transition to a college environment, the student is distracted with a plenty of non-academic activities; that is why it is essential to remind the intangible but valuable advantages of a college degree.

The education at college is not only dedicated to the study of the subjects pertaining to the course major; it also offers a variety of skills helpful in life. Numerous seminars, conferences, and classroom discussions develop and accumulate critical thinking and reasoning skills which are going to stay for a student lifetime. They can be applied to make significant life decisions and develop ways to improve the day-to-day existence.

Most of the prestigious professions require a college degree and a constant professional development. A college graduate has a future opportunity to continue the study and pursue new skills and knowledge in the field, even if he or she has never given a second thought to continue the education. Such opportunity is a great advantage if a student is interested to connect his career with law, medicine, or education; these spheres have a high potential of promotions that are not separated from further studying.

College education also gives a chance to obtain professions such as a scientist, a politician, or a sociologist which help to make one’s own contribution to the world’s change.

People who aim to be able to help others and become doctors, lawyers, teachers, or work in various social services first have to educate themselves and get a college degree to acquire the necessary knowledge to act as agents of change for others. Otherwise, it is impossible to provide proper assistance and bring positive changes to other people’s lives.

One more advantage of college education is a future access to various unexpected resources acquired through time in school. Money is not the only valuable thing is life;beneficial relations can be helpful in various life spheres. For example, an ex-roommate can become an attorney and a class friend – a doctor who it is always possible to refer to.

An annual alumni meeting can give a meeting with an ex-mate who offers a well-paid job as he or she knows the value of the college diploma. Hence, the college education can provide kinds of benefits and sources that are hard to plan beforehand, but that can make a real difference in the life.

The last but not the least of intangible advantages here is a personal sense of pride and oneself. When a student get a college diploma, he or she knows that the effort applied and time and energy spend are rewarded now. The student gets a strong boost to start a professional life and find his or her own place in society. Moreover, the fact of earning a college degree gives an undoubted reason of lifetime pride to oneself, the family, and friends.

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IvyPanda. 2023. "First-Year Students and Issues to Cope with." November 19, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/coping-with-your-issues-on-your-own/.

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