College Life Is Not What It Seems
The prospect of studying at university and university life in general raise many expectations. It’s a good idea to analyze these and compare them to how things really are.
We have always associated certain popular ideas with universities. That is not surprising, because university life can be perceived in many different ways. Everyone who attends or has gone to college naturally has a different personal experience.
Going to college to get a degree is an option that most people usually consider at a fairly young age. Therefore, it is a good idea to analyze what expectations usually exist to see if they are still reflected in today’s society.
College Life Expectations
Times are constantly changing, but the idea of going to college still inspires thousands of mini marketing campaigns during childhood.
These come from our teachers, family members and other influential people in our lives. They tell us that going to university to get a degree is the best thing we can do for security and stability in the future.
However, the different ideas about studying at university are no longer the same. This is due to the many social changes that have taken place over the years, especially in the labor market. Yet there are still expectations when it comes to studying for a degree.
Chance of work
It is very common to think that having a degree will give us better job prospects than other people with only a high school diploma or who have specialized at an equivalent level.
Of course every diploma has different possibilities that give people a certain advantage in the labor market. The belief that getting a bachelor’s degree will give you an advantage just because we think it’s a higher qualification is a belief that doesn’t always match reality.
Celebrate
Universities and parties are two areas that most people believe go hand in hand. Movies and TV series in which students are just partying fuel this expectation.
In many American movies and TV series we see how college life has become almost a philosophy with innumerable rules, rituals and customs. We also see this to a certain extent in the Netherlands (for example in student associations).
Independence
We often associate university life with the high degree of freedom and independence it offers you. When people leave their hometown to study, the resulting freedom is even greater. This particular expectation is usually true, at least as far as day-to-day activities are concerned.
However, there is not the same degree of “freedom” when it comes to the study. Attendance at most lectures is compulsory, and you are also expected to do work at home for your studies, because it is important to obtain sufficient credits.
What do we get back from university life
Whatever your expectations, college life is a short but important stage in your life. If you choose that path, you will learn a lot. You may learn the most important lessons outside the classroom after all.
One of the greatest things about college life is the opportunity to spend time with people you never thought you’d meet. Many of them will teach you a lot about life.
You’ll hear their opinions, debate with them, and have deep, but heartfelt conversations. These people are what you will really take with you when you leave college.
Some of these people will naturally become loyal friends, while others may only keep in touch from a distance. There will also be people to whom you will hardly ever say more than a few words.
Believe it or not, you’ll remember them all, even the last kind we mentioned. You remember the shy man who always greeted you with a smile or the young woman sitting right behind you who you never got to know.
There’s one thing college life will offer you more than the friendships themselves: a wonderful sense of nostalgia! University can be a memorable part of your life to cherish forever.
