For many first-year students, the University is not a well known place. This is another unusual experience of their academic session, as they had before like school and college. But here the only difference is that, it is a time when they are not supported by their parents or other elders. Parents assume as their child become grownup so there is no need of counseling anymore but reality is somehow different than it. It is a definite break from past life. The individual's usual sources of support are no longer present to facilitate adjustment to the unfamiliar environment.
Therefore students of psychology department have proposed a study regarding following problem discussed above and concluded some tips for students which may provide realistic expectations concerning social life on university.
· If they allow sufficient time, students usually find peers in the university to provide structure and a valuable support system in the new environment. The important thing for the student to remember in meeting new people is to be oneself.
· Meaningful, new relationships should not be expected to develop overnight. It took a great deal of time to develop intimacy in university.
· Increased personal freedom can feel both wonderful and frightening. Students can come and go as they choose with no one to "hassle" them. At the same time, things are no longer predictable. The strange environment with new kinds of procedures and new people can create the sense of being on an emotional. This is normal and to be expected.
· Working with classmates can present special, sometimes intense, problems. Negotiating respect of personal opinion can be a complex task. The complexity increases when classmates are of different ethnic/cultural backgrounds. Communicating one's legitimate needs calmly, listening with respect to a classmate's concerns, and being willing to compromise to meet each other can promote resolution of issues.
· It is unrealistic to expect that all classmates will have same suggestions regarding to a single project. Personal biases are always there.
· University syllabus is a great deal more difficult than other academic sections. There are more reading assignments, and the exams and papers cover a greater amount of material. Instructors expect students to do more work outside the classroom. In order to survive, the student must take responsibility for his or her actions. This means the student needs to follow the course outlines and keep us with the readings. The student must do the initiating. If a class is missed, it is up to the student to borrow lecture notes from someone who was present. If the student is having difficulty with course work, he or she needs to ask for help--ask to do extra work.
Among the most common concerns student faced are: low self-confidence; finding, enhancing, or ending a relationship; getting along with others; puzzling or distressing emotional states; family problems; self-defeating behaviors; controlling use of drugs (cigrates); life purpose and direction; and career decision-making.
