Author Barbara Dana once said, “A good roommate may be the single most important thing to have when one is away at school.” While she was completely correct in saying this, she would even have to agree that the measures taken to insure a good roommate have gotten out of control. Maureen Dowd, an Award Winning Columnist, in her article, Don’t Send In The Clones, she expounds on this statement and reveals some negative changes that up and coming college students are making. The way one learns to live with the stranger that we have been thrown into the same room with is one of the most important years of our lives teaching us valuable life lessons. Your roommate exposes you to different kinds of people and personalities that may not be familiar and prepares you for dealing with these people. Now a days students are using the Internet to match themselves to roommates with similar personalities and we are seeing how this can be harmful to ones development.
When you choose to be randomly paired with someone you go into the situation with an open mind. It can be guaranteed that the person you are roomed with will be different than you in some way, and that you will have to adapt in order to cope with those differences. For example, in Dalton Conley’s article on college roommates, which is almost parallel to that of Dowd’s, he mentions a survey by a sociologist at Cornell that found, in 2002, the white students who were assigned to a roommate of a different race, ended up more open minded about race. Being exposed to differences that may be new and unfamiliar, and learning how to cope with them, is an experience one would miss out on if they had matched themselves to the ‘perfect’ roommate.
Dowd stated that, “Choosing roommates w...
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... a different manner saying that the Internet divides the world into niches, keeping those who are the same together. While this is a great tool to finds people who share your interests and beliefs, it restricts our ability to expose ourselves to new people and experiences. Basically it keeps us from living life to the fullest.
Between the articles of Dowd and Conley one can clearly see the benefits that go along with entering college with a randomly selected roommate. Whether it is preparing for marriage, or simply preparing for the stubborn people who you will meet in life, and you will meet plenty of those, that first year of college is key in ones preparation for those situations. So forget the ‘perfect roommate’ dream, it is an unattainable and frankly foolish one to have. It is the imperfection and serendipity that seamlessly makes the experience perfect.
Throughout the years, I have had to deal with many trials, and challenges. Growing up BI-racial had a big affect on both my parents’ relationship, my relationship with my parents (which later on lead to their separation). There were cultural clashes within my household; my mother who was from Korea, and my father who was from Panama. I had learned to depend on myself, my friends, and most importantly, on God.
In Jennie Capo Crucet 's essay, “Taking My Parents To College,” Crucet describes her own experience as a freshman college student who was faced with many challenges that were unknown to her, as well as the cluelessness of what the beginning of her freshman year would look like. I felt like the biggest impression Crucet left on me while I was reading her essay, was the fact that I can relate to her idea of the unknown of college life. Throughout her essay, she described her personal experiences, and the factors one might face as a freshman college student which involved the unknown and/or uncertainty of what this new chapter would bring starting freshman year of college. Crucet’s essay relates to what most of us
At the start of the semester, my oblivious state of nature associating with the Chinese culture reached an unacceptable level. Implementing a necessary change, I decided to educate myself on different cultures starting with China. I failed to ponder that such a rich, deep culture existed outside America. Encompassed by this country’s unique yet suffocating melting pot culture, my outlook believed ideas such as uniformity between American Chinese food and Authentic Chinese food. After this course, my bigot perspective widened as I witnessed diversity in the world. Before this class, when I thought of Chinese food, my connotation jumped to thoughts associated with chop suey, but as I progressed my education, my mindset gradually pondered foods like steamed buns or “New Year Cakes” with authentic Chinese food.
All students will face the terror of entering college, a place that will rip you away from the familiarity you had before. It is a place with an atmosphere so different from what you’re used to that you’ll feel it before you walk on that campus. But don’t run away just yet, there’ve been other’s who’ve felt troubled with doubt and fear about their abilities to succeed as a student in college. In the article “Conquering the Freshman Fear of Failure” author David L. Kirp implores that “students can acquire ways of thinking that helps them thrive” (1). In comparison, to Kirp’s article, the protagonist in “Make Your Home among Strangers” by Jennine Capo Crucet, also manages to overcome her doubt on her ability to succeed as a student. Students need to learn to face their fears in order to have the desired life that is filled with happiness and prosperity. First generation students constantly struggle with
In Jennine Crucet’s story, “Taking My Parents to College” she really explains to the reader how challenging it was leaving home and starting a new chapter in her life. When the author and her family first arrived to Cornell University, they were sitting there when the dean ended his speech with: “Now, parents, please: Go!” Being a first generation college student Crucet nor her family had any idea that they were not supposed to stay for orientation and had to leave her as soon as they got her settled in. They did not even have all the right materials and supplies that she needed to begin with by stating, “Every afternoon that week, we had to go back to the only department store we could find, the now-defunct Ames, for some stupid thing we hadn’t known was a necessity, something not in our budget: shower shoes, extra-long twin sheets, mesh laundry bags.” Both Crucet and I suffered from similar issues during our first few weeks on our new journey in college and we both had no idea what was ahead of us.
The quote is saying that the more that we are online the more our brains are unable to become their own and we loose depth to our thinking. We need to not loose this because this is the main thing that make us who we are, the way think differently makes us our own individual.
A very common concern that faces many high school students today in the world is whether they go to college or not. There are many factors in whether a student is eligible to attend a college or not. They have to have enough money to cover the cost, prepare early, and choosing what they want to attend college for. These are some of the many issues that might occur when a student starts to think or plan on going to a college.
Most students are introduced to a whole new world when coming to college. For many, it is the first time they are on their own. College is a very different culture than high school. It takes time for most students to get acclimated to the college lifestyle. During a college student’s years at college they will partake in situations they never dealt with before. Most have never been to parties that last till about 4am with all the alcohol they can drink. A lot are also not used to having to share a bedroom with one or more persons, the heavy work load in the classrooms, and for some actually paying school tuition. The day to day college life is different for majority of first time college students.
Colombo explains that “Beginning college can be disconcerting experience” (Colombo, p.1). That there will be more peer pressure from your peers and an increase expectations that you have never faced during your high school days. “In the dorms you may find yourself among people whose backgrounds make them seem foreign and unapproachable” (Colombo, p.1). Colombo also states “If you commute, you may be struggling against a feeling of isolation that you’ve never faced before” (Colombo, p. 1).
I am very interested in attending Flagler College for a number of reasons, Flagler is the perfect college to help my achieve my goals. It offers the individual help that I desire, an outstanding business program, a wide variety of clubs and organizations, and most important, Flagler opens up a lot of opportunities for career choices.
...ch as fewer expenses, and being able to concentrate on my course work are varied greatly with the good things that Sydney experiences with living in a dorm, such as being able to attend GVSU events and being able to take full advantage of everything the campus offers to its students. On the other hand, there are the negative issues that I deal with as a commuter such as not being involved in the campus life and the amount of time it takes to travel to Allendale in the winter, and the difficulties that Sydney deals with like the expenses she must pay and the lack of space in her dorm room for her and her dorm mate, as well as not being able to connect with her family as much as she might want. Even though the encounters that both Sydney and I have had are distinctive, we are both getting what we want out of our college experience here at Grand Valley State University.
As the Housing Administration of Penn State, I ask you to put yourself in the shoes of the incoming freshmen. As a freshman, you hope for a roommate you can relate to and spend your time with. But at Penn State the chances of you getting along with your roommate are slim to none. I know so many people who cannot stand living with their roommates. Two of my friends actually switched at the semester because they could not deal with their living situation. At Penn State we are placed together by major. Two people with the same major are not guaranteed to have any of the same habits, interests, or goals. I feel that this is not an effective way of matching people up.
College is a new setting for most students, especially the ones no longer living at home. The transition can be easy and worry-free, or a challenging and stressful time. Brougham states, “Growth and change were often accompanied by the experience of stress. The cause of stress varies from person to person. Overall there can be similarities such as ’academics, social relationships, finances, daily hassles and family relationships’ (Brougham, 2009, pg 86). As student, academics is the reason why we are in school; we are aiming to get educated and to learn. Family relationships vary from student to student depending on how close the family is. My immediate family and extended family have such a close bond that when I am needed at home, I drop everything for them. Social relationships are smaller support systems individuals can count on. Finances all come down to economic status and a person’s unique financial aid package. Daily hassles range from what I should wear today to not having enough time in a day.
The majority of students will be living by themselves for the first time, away from the support of their parents and siblings. Furthermore, living alone ensures that students must monitor and manage finances, clean their living quarters, and cook for themselves. The continuous practise of these skills ensures that students are equipped with abilities they will need for future living, thus improving their independence. Moreover, students often share a flat together. Living in close proximity to one another ensures that students develop their social skills. Aside from living away from home, the constantly monitored work, paired with the necessity to attend lectures, means that students learn to be organised, furthering their independence. In conclusion, a university education entails far more than simply attending lectures, completing coursework and taking exams. Students benefit from the diversity of social interactions offered in a university setting, and may encounter more opportunities through the social networks they develop. In addition, the ability to work independently and solve a range of problems will make them far more attractive to future employers. In short, gaining a degree entails far more than simply acquiring another
Most of us would agree that college is one of the most exciting, yet most challenging times of our lives. It is typically our first time living away from home for an extended period of time. When I went away to college, I was eager to embrace the next chapter of my life because it was something life-changing that I had yet to experience. However, entering college was also scary for me because nobody handed me a “how to survive college” guidebook. I feel that everyone should be given a book full of tips and tricks that outline the ups and downs that lie ahead throughout our college experience, so that we can maximize our time in school and reach our full potential. That this why this anthology is important for all of us. This anthology summarizes some of the most important tips to survive college, that I have learned thus far as a current freshman about to finish my fall semester. No matter who you are or where you come from, these few, simple tips to be explained will help ease the transition from high school and living at home to college and living on your own. This topic is meaningful because I know how it feels to go off to college excited for the journey ahead, nervous to leave family and friends, and not knowing what to expect. This guidebook should help future freshman to succeed and make the most of their