There is no denying the fact that student life at a university is far different than student life as a high school student. If you recently finished school and you have been accepted to the university of your choice, now is the time to start preparing for your new life. You will enjoy new freedoms, but the transition can also be difficult if you are not sure what to expect. It is time to put aside everything you know about school and discover just what makes university life different. Read on for an actual summary of the day in the life of a student.
What to Expect on a Typical School Day
In high school, you may have all of your classes with the same classmates. In college, however, you are free to choose courses that satisfy your general requirements or requirements for your major. Because of this, no one college student will have the same schedule throughout their entire student career. Here are some of the daily activities you will be fitting into your schedule as an adult student:
Attending class: Classes start between 6 in the morning and 9 at night. Because of this, you may have a morning class and an evening class in the same day. The average college student will attend 2 or 3 classes daily, with one week day off. Classes are generally 1.5 or 2 hours in length and cover lectures on the topics you read in your text at home.
Studying: Test scores are far more important in college. One bad test could be the difference between a pass and a fail. The average student should be reading and studying at least 2 hours per day when attending school full-time.
Work: If you were not lucky enough to get a full ride scholarship, you are going to need to pay for things like food and clothing with your own money. Most students today will take a part-time job so that they can live comfortably on or off-campus. You may either work on-campus as part of a work study program, or off campus. The average student works an average of 3 hours a day based on weekly hours.
Eating: Mom and dad will no longer prepare your dinners and pack your lunch. Because eating is a necessity, you are going to have to learn how to fend for yourself. Most freshmen gain the “Freshmen 15” because they eat Top Ramen, Hot Pockets, and pizza. Learning how to prepare healthier meals generally does not happen until you are a sophomore or a junior.
Spending time with your Friends: As you start to meet new people, you will find yourself having to balance your schedule with your friends. It might be tempting to skip class to go to the beach, but remember why you are attending school in the first place and plan a time where everyone is available.
In between classes, you might be able to surf the web, catch up on your favourite TV shows, and find some time to workout. While you will have the freedom to plan your own schedule, just remember that you need to use your time wisely and say no to some of the temptations that can easily land you a bad grade in your economics class.
Sally writes for Richmond, a University based in London who offer courses from their BA history through to a BA in Psychology. Learn more about their offering at Richmond.ac.uk.