College is an exciting time for any student. For many it’s the first time they have fully been away from home for an extended period of time and for the most part out from under the umbrella of their parents influence and control. Whether it’s a university an hour away, across the state and for a few possibly across the country this is the first time you’re considered an adult in the eyes of law and free to make your own choices and decisions. The idea of going to college and deciding what career you want to pursue is very exciting because you finally get to pursue your interests and determine if that is in fact what you want to do for the rest of your life. However despite graduating high school many of those fears and stigmas are still embedded in our minds and follow us to college. The fear of being judged for your looks, clothing, interests, hobbies, and just overall what you just enjoy doing. Many of these we can push past by finding friends with similar interests but the stigma with eating alone for many is something they have a hard time trying to escape because of what it meant in high school. Western Carolina is considered a small school compared to a school like East Carolina University whose undergraduate enrollment is more than double the size of our entire enrollment and UNC-Chapel Hill who is triple our entire enrollment which is just above ten thousand. Regardless of the size of the school and having graduated with friends who attend all of these schools one
Seniors have a tendency of taking their last year of high school for granted. They do not realize that the relaxed classes and fun filled weekends with their best friends will all soon come to a devastating end. They have applied for college, bought miniature refrigerators, and sent in their housing applications, but none of them have really thought about college in the way that they should. When asked about college most high school seniors image the huge parties, attractive people, and freedom; however, college is much more than that and, in a way, much less. College and high school are completely different when it comes to a student’s actual lifestyle, but they have many of the same traits that most high school seniors do not see coming.
Perhaps the biggest factor that causes students to gain weight is the adjustment from eating at home to eating at college. A student from Chicago State University wrote in the school paper that, “Students in their first year away from home are sometimes not experienced in choosing foods or balanced meals” (French). The free-for-all campus style eating allows for unlimited choices of food and no parents to tell students what they can or cannot eat. Dietitian Ann Litt is also quoted in a Washington Post article in stating that, “the all you can eat concept in most college food services is an invitation overeat” (Linder). College dining halls are set up like fast food restaurants, and some even contain a McDonalds or a Pizza Hut. Fast food style eating really has no nutritional value, other than lots of fat and calories. In an article which examined the ways which students eat nutritional professor Christina Economos stated that more than fifty percent of students are eating too much fat, and seventy to eighty percent are getting too much saturated fat. She states that lack of fruit and vegetable consumption and the eating of mostly processed food is the main cause of weight gain among students (Linder). When students enter the dining hall they need to remind themselves that eating healthy is important.
Melanie states that “college isn’t so much an academic life , but it’s also a very social and emotional part of who you are , too.” She explains that college isn't about only education but also is socializing with others and knowing yourself. College students also have the rights to socialize with people and
College is an exciting time with plenty of challenges and difficulties. The ones who can overcome these challenges and difficulties will be the ones who get the most out of college and their degree. In my paper I will talk about what a degree means to me personally and professionally. I will also talk about different things I struggle with so far in college and different ways I can improve these difficulties, as well as how I feel about the CSI report that we took and how I believe it compares to me personally.
As we go on in life we face many challenges and new situations that we deal with. A new situation that most people deal with is college and all the changes that come along with it. What many people don't realize is that high school, in many ways, is similar and differrent from college. Not only are people changing but the surroundings and work change as well. There are some things that seem to never change such as some work and people.
“In fall 2016, some 20.5 million students are expected to attend American colleges and universities, constituting an increase of about 5.2 million since fall 2000” (National Center for Education Statistics). That number seems to be rising each and ever year, and it almost seems as students feel like they have to go to college directly after high school. Maybe it is because they feel that they have to fit in, even if college is not for them. Although some students attend college for academics, sports, and other reasons, some students attend college for no apparent reason; with that in mind, students should take into consideration the time and money that is put into going to college.
The thought of new adventures I will encounter and the freedom I will gain in college makes me ecstatic. Your First Year of College: 25 Strategies and Tips to Help You Survive and Thrive Your Freshman Year and Beyond written by Randall S. Hansen, who is an entrepreneur who is focused on helping people with college success and health and wellness. “Get enough sleep, take your vitamins and eat right.” Getting enough sleep can improve your focus and agility. The author suggest that if you stay healthy, get enough sleep, and take your vitamins you should have a better chance of avoiding the “Freshman 15.” Without having your parents around to serve you a good balanced meal, one may be tempted to go for the cookies
There is a stigma that surrounds college. I absolutely detest the statement that college is not for everyone. College is not about the struggles of the tedious work or the sports that are offered, the food, nor the housing. College is primarily about the education and networking. Putting in the effort and the time is all one has to do to be a success. I truly believe that statement as I used the mantra throughout my educational career. Once I attended Philadelphia Military Academy my ideals and values have changed. Attending Philadelphia Military Academy kept me disciplined and grounded. Going to a high school where physical training, marching, and saluting is required I have acquired respect for the order placed in my life. I am now at a
The stigma with college students and their eating habits is that most people eat a diet filled with ramen noodles, microwaveable dinners, and excessive amounts of coffee. Traditionally, the thought of college eating
For all students leaving high school, college is a diversifying experience that improves students’ outlook of the world. Many students leave high school having known a small group of friends very closely and only spending time around this group of kids. In addition to
No one should feel the pressure to become someone they are not simply because they leave behind their "safe" environment when coming to college. Anyone can have the strength of character to become an individual in a sea of thousands of students. Instead of finding this experience difficult, it
College students represent a unique culture that have a multitude of needs that differ from other populations. College for many individuals is an opportunity to express their individualism and experience personal freedom. For many, this is the first time they are away from a structured home life and they are now able to make their own decisions. Now autonomous, they are free from punishment and reprimand from their parents because they are away from home and their actions are hidden by distance. This is an exciting time for the student as they are confronted with many new scenarios. Students are faced with finding new groups to be a part of and discovering ones’ identity becomes a new
The transition from high school to college is not only an exciting and challenging time, but also a great milestone in one’s life. There are several differences between the lives of high school and college students. Some individuals will be able to jump right in and adjust to this change seamlessly, while others may take years to adapt, or never even grab hold of the whole college experience at all. High school and College are both educational grounds for a student to grow and enrich their lives with knowledge. Both are like puzzle pieces: on one side they fit together, but on the other side they are something completely
The students who do not adapt and choose to abstain are immediately labeled negatively. By choosing not to participate in the universal activity on campus, these students limit their social life. This is a tremendous sacrifice. College supposedly represents the best years a person’s of life. No one wants to miss out due to being perceived as overwrought and uptight. For this reason,
College is a life changing experience for students. College is a new environment for most students and comes with lots of challenges. Things such as the increased difficulty of academic work and not being around the same social groups as a student was before college can make the transition very difficult. One of the best things a student can do to help with this transition is to live in a campus residence hall. Students should live in dorms because of the community that this creates. Students will gain many beneficial social interactions, will be able to better complete academic work, and will ease the adjustment to college life.