Life seems to hold out unending possibilities and innumerable moments of fun when you cross over the threshold of school life. There lies the door of college life open for you, letting in the warm sunshine of a perfect day. But once you’re actually a part of this life, how much does the reality reflect your dreams? Is everything all hunky-dory and as you planned? Read on to know more about the top 10 grievances of college days and relive (or don’t) your college days, or know about the future problems that may affect your college life ..
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10. Untidy and filthy
While many colleges enforce strict discipline with regard to hygiene, not all colleges are lucky. There’s a lot of dust owing to the fact that most college buildings are ages old, and then there are people who treat places apart from their homes, as dust bins and they commit activities that they wouldn’t dare to do at their own homes. Then there is the refusal of the hired sweepers to cooperate at all.
9. Disappointing infrastructure
Most college students are starry-eyed regarding their college aspirations. Those expectations seem to nosedive when they actually reach college. The canteen may not have enough choices for everybody, or maybe the library isn’t as well stocked as claimed to have been. This may not be the case for all colleges, but in most of the colleges, the actual infrastructure seems more morbid than what portrayed in the glossy college prospectus and plastered all over the college website, complete with national and world rankings.
8. Not enough scope for showcasing talents
Here again, while most colleges are liberal and encouraging with regard to extra-curricular activities, not all colleges can afford to be so supportive. For administrative reasons, or otherwise, students don’t always get the advantages of showcasing their talents in college all the time.
7. Teachers and teaching methods not up to the mark
Our expectations of teachers are modeled on our immediate care-givers. And with the meeting of subsequent models of teachers, our expectations change and a somewhat fixed image remains in our minds when we reach college. College teachers are expected to be strict and liberal at the same time, with a hint of encouraging naughtiness as well. But many students complain the lack of understanding on the part of the teachers, and how they turn out to be another version of school teachers who always stressed on academics and considered creative pursuits almost sinful. Very often, college teachers don’t show any respect towards the students, often judging them by their class performances and backgrounds and assuming that they would never reach any level of excellence. Such attitudes break the morale of the students and creates a wide gulf between the two parties.
Then there are the teaching methods. For various constraints, not all colleges can adopt the most developed and new teaching methods, and often teachers feel that they know about the basics of conducting classes, thus there’s no need to adopt anything new. This also affects the college-goer’s motivation to attend lectures.
6. Not enough pocket money
School never really had much scope for asking money, but college life is full of needs that money always solves. And there lies the problem. There’s never enough of pocket money. This problem is faced more acutely by students who moved to a different country or state for higher education. Apart from daily expenses like commutation, there’s always a birthday or some other event requiring money.
5. No proper career counseling
College might be a little late to decide your future career path, considering that you’re nearing the end of your career-building studies, but it’s never too late for a little guidance. The first sentiment is echoed by most college administrators and they hardly put any effort into guiding the students regarding the career paths related to their chosen fields. Fortunately for many students, college heads and friends turn out to really resourceful than the most.
4. Illogical syllabus
Syllabus and texts are often an integral part of a student’s selection process while considering various colleges and universities. While there are many universities had their syllabi made ages ago, newer universities prefer to alter their syllabi according to the trends and job opportunities associated with it. Even then many students find no system or structure in the pattern of their syllabus and it affects their final grades.
3. Lack of a strong, apolitical student union
Politics entered the educational institutions long back. It teaches students about democratic principles, the right to vote, about knowing your candidates before voting for them and many other factors integral to the process of administration and government. While most colleges and universities have apolitical student bodies, or so they claim, it’s not uncommon to find political bodies inclined to one particular party creating havoc on campuses and forcing the authorities to indulge in educational malpractices. It is these activities that hamper the lives of the ones involved and not involved as well. While many have suggested the ban of student unions altogether, it becomes a sort of imposition on the students, whose voices are ultimately stifled.
2. Not enough greenery on the campus
Believe it or not, lush green gardens and rows of trees on the campus are often more preferred by students. It not only gives a visual appeal, but also enhances the “natural” feeling of a campus. College campuses are the witnesses to some of the most memorable experiences of life, and students want to feel cozy and comfortable in these places. Probably, the touch of greenery reminds them of open, grassy country lands; the ultimate symbol of freedom. With campuses attempting to compress a host of infrastructural facilities in a limited space, greenery has been limited to the trees lining the driveway and the few open tracts cleared up after ages of dumping wastes.
1. Demands/grievances not listened to
While college authorities try to meet the demands of the students, not all of the demands are met with. Many a times, even useful suggestions aren’t taken by the college authorities. It not only causes difficulties for that particular student, but also for all other students studying in that college or university. Add to it, the feeling of inadequacy felt by the students at not having been listened to.
Looking forward to college? Don’t be afraid and just take a leap of faith. Already left those days behind? Think of it as a learning experience. Got something better to talk about? Publish it on your site or on any social media.