My College Experience : The Best Experience In College

There was absolutely nothing that could set me apart from the sea of designer purses, overly expensive shoes, and cherry flavored lip glosses. In high school, it seems if you weren’t marginalized into a group or follow the status quo you were seen as the misfit. One day, I experienced an epiphany in the back of my Government class, I wasn’t content with the illusion of the perfect teen. I had acceptable grades, I was well liked by most of my student body; however, I couldn’t come to the terms that I neglected what really mattered to me. At home my family would describe me with words such as: “eclectic, unique and remarkable.”, but at school I conformed into a person with a lackluster personality. I reckon that college is a place where each student is not the same and has the ability to be their true selves without being judged. This being, another reason why I respect your institution on the importance of accepting different cultures and

In Bryce Courtenay’s novel, The Power of One, Peekay states, “I had become an expert in camouflage. My precocity allowed me, chameleonlike, to be to each what they required me to be” (Courtenay 472). Like Peekay, many students adapt their behaviors to the expectations of those around them. At this point in our lives, we covet the approval of those surrounding us, whether it be our friends, parents, teachers, or potential colleges. This camouflage acts as a mechanism to help us achieve success with these different groups, but also makes it difficult for us to stand out as our own individual person.

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

At college, students are often surrounded by others who are similar to them – mostly between ages of 18 and 22, pursuing a college education and beyond. The homogeneity within the campus bubble can make students forget what the real world is like.

Identity development in college students is a big issue in today’s society. All college students want to have the sense of belonging among their peers. Students want to find themselves, where they want to be in life, what values are important to them, and be accepted by everyone. The sense of belonging affects them by identifying who they are on their own and how society sees them as.

Identity and the concept of one's self certainly changes at the emergence of college; best explained through Goffman's DRAMATURGICAL THEORY (Conley 135). Essentially the role one plays significantly changes; one is expected to put on a sort of performance in terms of their actions; we as students dress alike in similar casual attire and sit in oftentimes very crowded and sometimes uncomfortable lecture halls, take notes, and, for the most part, give attention to the lecturer at hand. These actions allow for us as college students to maintain a good FACE VALUE (137), which is the opinion and esteem which other students and professors then deem high when one follows the social norm to an acceptable degree, and, essentially, becomes likable due

Once you get into college there are generally very few people who know you unless you decide to go to a school that is either small or your whole hometown always go to after they graduate. Since there are so few people it gives students the chance to make a new life. Anyone is able to make a new front for them. The sky is the limits when it comes to making the new identity. The book smart student is able to act like the jock or the shy child is able to change into the extremely extrovert person if they choose to do so once they go to college. The only issue with this would be

As I think back to my spring semester of my junior year, I think I will always remember it as my favorite semester of college. While I was only three semesters away from completing my degree, I started taking classes for the sociology minor I declared in the previous semester, which I had been pretty excited about. I also had the chance to have some time away from my new coach, which allowed me to reevaluate things and see what I could do going forward. It was through my time away from him that I realized while I may not agree with his training style, I still wanted to develop a positive relationship with him, which forced me to keep an open mind and view running as less of a chore. I also developed a very close relationship with a professor who I had taken a few classes with before, and was someone I would be studying abroad with in Barcelona during the two weeks following the conclusion of the semester. However, most importantly, (in terms of moving forward) I had my “aha” moment that student affairs was a career and that it might be something that I was interested in doing. Admittedly, I was a little embarrassed to admit that this was something I was thinking about doing after graduating, since many people do not understand what it is, so this was something I kept to myself and continued to think more about. However, I wanted to use the next few months to really test myself to see if I could handle a career in student affairs. As a result, I continued to work on

Residing in a college community gives freshman's the opportunity to experience independence and freedom, and the chance to find one’s self. Up until secondary school, family and friends have been one's emotionally supportive network, their direction and their good examples. When the time comes around to go to an advanced education establishment, an entire new arrangement of thoughts and individuals are incorporated into the photo. Conforming to new situations and crowds while getting ready for the future can be an overwhelming test. Finding one's personal identity can be greatly obstructing. One must have a strong comprehension of who they are and have a strong inner courage, to have the ability to face the new difficulties at their college/ university and surrounding places. For some individuals “Constructing a strong identity represents a core developmental task during the transition to adulthood.” (Luyckx) This process usually includes getting to be more autonomous, dividing from family, and characterizing one's own uniqueness. The average

In modern day life, a prime example of presentation of self can be seen through a professor teaching a class. The students in this case are the audience and the professor of course is the actor on stage, or in front of the classroom. Students can often times be a very intimidating audience. The professor must also present his or her self in the proper manner. Negative body gestures can cause the students to not pay attention. Idealization plays a huge role in the professor’s presentation as well. They go into the classroom with certain motives for teaching others. Sometimes embarrassment plays a role too. Because

Being in college is about finding yourself, shaping your identity and changing. For most people, college can be a disorienting place, for ones can be easy to make new friends and be extroverted, but for others can be a tremendous impact. Ken’s low expectations were a wake-up call for Mike Rose because he spent his elementary school years being a “mediocre student and a somnambulant problem solver”, he didn’t pay attention to his classes and he didn’t care about his subjects and books. Now that he got to college, Mike understood that college life is difficult for those who don’t have a marked personality, those who haven’t found themselves yet, those who are comfortable with being “average” without being curious about what they might be able

College is a time of your educational life, which ingrain many experiences within you. It teaches you a lot in terms of knowledge, way of communication, making friends and mental growth. Students seek to become somebody after they graduate from college, they have set many objectives for the future. However, not all the students are the similar when they come to college life. Some of them are strong and skillful in academic circles, while some are strong in socializing and friendships.

As a “scholar” developing this identity is a big part of my life. This identity intersects a lot when I'm in the “friend” role. Stepping into college I feel myself getting stressed I tend to be a bit more grumpy. Why my behavior and the way I act and speak differentiates is because of the setting and people in with such as parents and professors. the language I use is much more respectful I don't use slang at all it probably does slip out occasionally without me

Being a young adult presents many challenges, none more than this adjustment to college life as a young adult. At this stage in their life, not only are students simultaneously trying to figure out who they are, but they are also experiencing things for the first time while they begin to attune to their new surroundings. While this newfound freedom facilitates