The studying process today is definitely completely different from what it was even ten years ago. Technology is on the rise, and knowledge has never been more accessible. You’d think that would play a positive role in the life of an average student. Yet, surveys show a decrease in the students’ satisfaction with their courses.
Dropout statistics show that over 50% of students don’t get their degree after six years of studying. Out of that number, approximately a third drop out altogether, pushing the percentage of college dropouts out to over 10%. While this statistic can differ wildly between different regions and colleges, the overall problem is hard to ignore.
This issue has many layers. Students don’t care about performing well in colleges. Traditional study format is losing its appeal to the modern generation.
That, however, doesn’t mean they give up education altogether. The focus just shifted to more efficient and practical ways of learning. So let’s look at some of the reasons why students neglect their studies.
Anxiety
Getting a higher education commonly involves high levels of stress. For many young adults getting into a college or a university is the first step into an independent life. And the amount of pressure they have to deal with (especially during their first year) is often underestimated.
The negative effects manifest most often as a result of a cramped schedule and overworking. Dedicating all your spare time to work can lead to a range of problems – burning out, sleep disorders, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression, to name a few.
Finding time to take your mind off the routine is extremely important. If you feel like you’re getting swamped by all the assignments, getting some third-party help from online services like EssayPro can win you a couple of days to get everything back on track.
Keeping in touch with your family and old friends can help out as well. But if you moved out into a dorm, constantly calling home will only make you feel more lonely as time goes by.
Developing new connections and creating a new home right where you are will make you feel much better. And once you’re feeling comfortable enough it will be easier to concentrate on studying.
Outside Pressure
Outside pressure is an additional factor in this equation.
Expectations put on students by their relatives, teachers, and even peers can majorly contribute to the stress they experience while getting their degrees.
In extreme cases, a coping response is to close down emotionally and let go of all responsibilities. You can’t fail if you don’t even try. This can sometimes go as far as dropping out.
Emotional support is the most efficient countermeasure in this scenario. Student’s fear of failure is fueled by a lot of outside factors.
Addressing them and lifting the pressure is key. A student should understand that it doesn’t really matter if you fail here or there. What matters is whether you recover and keep going.
Distractions
Many cases of underperformance among the students are connected with outside distractions.
These distractions increase the workload of a student, making it more and more difficult to manage their time.
This forces them to set certain priorities. And getting a college degree can get neglected in favor of other activities. These can vary greatly. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Social life;
- Part-time\full-time job;
- Family-related problems;
- Volunteer work.
There are some cases where these can be considered more of a necessity than a distraction. Financial problems, feeling of isolation, and disappointment with your current course forces students to look for new prospects.
However, when you find yourself in between two lives, unable to properly focus on either, you should take a break and think for a minute.
What is it you want from life? Where do you see yourself in a couple of years? Identify your goals and priorities.
Once you’ve done that, it should be much easier to decide what deserves your attention and effort and what can be dropped altogether.
Wrong Choice of Major
The wrong choice of major is a common yet overlooked problem.
During the transition period between high school and college students are expected to make a decision that may very well shape the remainder of their lives.
Yet, in most cases, very little effort is made to educate students about possible future careers and help them make the best decision.
It is important to start researching different jobs and thinking about whether it really fits you or not as early as possible. If you picked your major and then realized that it’s not for you, it’s a bit too late. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you are bound to this field forever.
If you are absolutely sure you’ve made a mistake picking a major – don’t be afraid to start a completely new page of your life. Go back, make sure you do your research this time.
Come to terms with your strengths and weaknesses as well as your passions and interests. Pick something you’re excited about, double and triple-check everything before you move forward with it. There’s nothing wrong with starting over.
Outdated Methods of Teaching
Technology progress is leaping forward. And the pace is picking up by the day.
What currently is cutting edge technology will be commonly accessible tomorrow and outdated by the end of the year.
The younger generation is used to this whirlwind of chaos. And they are able to adapt to it fairly quickly. Bulky high education systems, however, are less flexible.
This effect can be seen most clearly in fairly young and progressive fields like IT. Few colleges can keep up with constantly evolving technology. Even fewer can make it accessible and affordable for their students.
Professors that lose their connection with the reality of scientific thought and industrial progress find themselves quickly losing interest and respect for their students.
What You Can Do
It’s true that some factors that may make your student life harder are out of your control. You’ll have to soldier on when it comes to those. But there are things you absolutely can do to make getting a degree fun or at least bearable.
The absolutely first thing you want to do is make friends. Your pals from high school are no longer with you. Moving on can feel scary and lonely. Finding someone to replace the void is very important.
Go around, be friendly and outgoing, create a study group, network actively. Studying is easier together, and it’s always nice to have someone to hang out with instead of sitting in your room all alone.
Teaching yourself discipline is another absolutely crucial component to successful student life.
While you technically can drag yourself along to graduation, blowing deadlines left and right and suffering from severe sleep deprivation, ensuring everything is done well and in time will make your experience way more enjoyable.
Wrapping Up
There are many factors that contribute to the problems students face once in the higher education system. And even more arise as the technological progress changes the very nature of the learning process.
However, the system is adapting to it. Slowly but surely, top colleges and universities are figuring out the rules of the game, and others are soon to follow their footsteps.
It is premature to give up on the current education system. The issues you might face going through college are not unbeatable. Understanding what causes these problems in the first place puts you halfway to overcoming them.
And even if you find yourself disappointed in your education, there are more ways and programs that will allow you to get a degree and start building your life doing something you enjoy.