The transition from high school to college can be quite a culture shock. What are the most common delusions students harbor at the beginning of their college careers? Professors flocked to a Reddit discussion and shared their experiences.
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Key Takeaways:
- Educators have highlighted a lack of proactive learning as the main problem.
- Expectations for college students are very different from what high school students face.
- Students should get ready for grades based on work quality rather than applied effort.
No matter how prepared you think you are, there are some misconceptions perpetuated about college life within the student body. But what are they, exactly? We found a nifty Reddit thread where we can hear from your future educators first-hand.
You Can Lead a Horse to Water, But You Cannot Make it Drink
Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore! Your high school life hasn’t been easy, no doubt, but college is an entirely new beast to tackle in fun and exciting ways. First and foremost, though you might be paying a hefty tuition, here’s the harsh truth: the primary person responsible for the quality of your education is you and not your professors or college staff. Thinking the opposite will set you up for failure.
“That if they don’t learn it means the professor didn’t teach them.”
“At the start of each term, I tell students that they have just bought an extremely expensive intellectual gym membership. It gives them access to a huge range of classes, instructors, good facilities (library, etc), dedicated performance support staff (learning advisors, counselors, etc). But they’ve still got to turn up and do the work if they want to see their fitness improve, let alone achieve any gains.”
You’re an adult now: a young one, sure, but an adult nevertheless. It’s normal to go on a learning curve, but make sure to apply effort so it’s not too steep. Your hefty tuition, in fact, should motivate you to make the absolute most of this college quest and the resources it provides!
“«Somebody will make sure I’m doing what I need to be doing.» No. Your professor isn’t going to knock on your door each morning to make sure you’re coming to class. If you make bad decisions, you will face the consequences of those decisions. Nobody is coming to save you.”
Let’s try to make good choices so that the consequences of our actions are positive ones!
Be Proactive!
Since we’ve established being responsible is good practice, here is where you can start building that pattern up. Attend classes. Go through the syllabus, it’s there for a reason. Read the supplementary material. Raise your hand. Many professors have shared their disappointment with the lackluster approach they see in the classroom. You should make your presence known, both to your professors and peers, and leave a positive impression.
“One myth is that gaining an education is a passive activity. Manifestations of belief in this myth are seen in the behaviors:
– thinking that active participation is suggested, not required;
– conveniently forgetting that if you don’t know a term, word or concept, you should google it;
– not being embarrassed by or concerned about severe lack of initiative, drive, or curiosity;
– assuming that faculty/staff are here to micro-assist/micro-manage.”
Though efficient time management with the additional task load can be a challenge at first, you can do it! The point of college education is to get you curious: interested in research and competent in conducting it properly. You might discover new topics you never even suspected would inspire and captivate your mind. And if that fails, you can always romanticize your research as dark/light/any other academia aesthetic you’d prefer.
“That the test will cover exactly what was said in class and the readings. I’m not here to test rote memorization. The exam is to require a student to use what they’ve learned in class. I expect them to synthesize and analyze class content in novel situations.”
Realistic expectations, anyone?
Some college policies are more lenient towards the student body exactly because they expect you to be more responsible.
“It’s erroneous to think that no attendance policy means showing up isn’t important. Or that it’s possible to do the big semester-long project in a week.”
It’s good to have your priorities in order. Yes, sometimes catching up on sleep is more important for your overall mental productivity than attending a lecture. But that doesn’t mean it’s okay to skip all of them! And be realistic about your assignments. If you can write that essay easy-peasy, why not get ahead of the workload and start it right now? Don’t put stuff off. You’ll have enough on your plate later, no doubt. Also, remember that college policies and grading systems don’t always allow you to make up for missed assignments. Be vigilant, get acquainted with the grade composition for each class, and make a point to be on time.
“The various forms of «I can make it up later». This includes the two week family vacation in the middle of the semester, the blowing off a test or quizzes or labs, or the «I have a test/project/paper due for another class».”
It’s Not Enough To Just Do Your Assignment; It Has To Be Good
“A” for effort is not a thing anymore. Your quality of work matters more than the blood and tears you’ve poured into it. That’s why college education aims to teach you research and time management skills. The goal is to make providing competent output easy and less time-consuming for you!
“Some students think that if you do all the work, you should pass the class (even if the work is low quality and does not convey a mastery of the material).”
“An interesting myth is that there is a specific effort level or time commitment that will equal the grade they want. A student can spend two hours on something and get a better grade than a student who spent 10 hours. We are grading the quality and output.”
Read The Social Cues
Like it or not, an essential part of college life and education is interpersonal communication. Keeping thriving connections with your coeds, assignment partners, staff, coaches, and professors helps your college life look like those brochures. You will greatly benefit from well-developed soft skills when you enter the workforce, and they will improve your future life overall. Learning how to network, to lead and follow, retain healthy boundaries, and respect the time of others starts here, on the campus lawn.
“Group projects should be done by giving each student a discrete assignment and having each complete it separately, never once talking about the project together.”
“The myth that «my professor never sleeps».”
Oh, and let the professor have his full eight hours. Having a grumpy prof won’t benefit anyone.
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