There are a number of factors that both negatively and positively affect the adjustment to university life among first year students. These factors, namely, the involvement in extra-curricular activities, new-found expectations of the student and the issue of homesickness can affect the student’s overall university experience, ultimately making it a memorable one, or a time in that individual’s life that was not so memorable. This adjustment does not come naturally to all students, and by discussing the factors that affect this adjustment, so it will become clearer as to why some students cope with said adjustment, whilst others find it rather challenging.
Involvement in extra-curricular or out-of-class activities is said to be a crucial factor
…show more content…
Expectations, in all its forms is another major factor in the transition from high school to university, among young adults. These expectations rarely positively impact this transition. And unlike, involvement, which is usually voluntary, these expectations which are made up of an necessary ‘smooth’ integration into university, meeting certain academic and social demands, whilst ‘still having fun’, is not optional for these terrified first-years. It is in a sense, do or die. This does not even touch base with the additional challenges that international students are faced with, examples being cultural differences and language barriers. All these expectations are there, not for the student to over-achieve during the course of their studies at university but to merely ‘settle in’, hence one could argue the unrealistic nature of these expectations. The first-year student, many of whom have just graduated from the comfort of high school, find themselves faced with new found academic challenges, having to participate in as much as possible, establish friendships, be social and pro-active, make conscious career choices and take responsibility of their independence. (Aladag, 2009 et el …show more content…
And whilst some factors are controlled by the students and others not, it is again up to the student (as far as possible) to make the most of their circumstances, ultimately reassuring a more positive outlook on life, and in turn, combatting the challenges brought about by unstructured involvement in extra-curricular activities, unrealistic expectations and intense