It's 4 a.m. and you haven't even gotten the bulk of your homework done. You have three papers due at the same time, a class presentation to work on with several other classmates, and a midterm on a subject that you have never even heard of, let alone understand. On top of all of that, you have to go to sports practice in an hour and complete your resume for prospective summer internships. Stress and anxiety don't even come close to describing your state of mind.
College students face the demands of balancing rigorous academic work with an active social life. Freshman especially often feel the strain of balancing the two - for many, entering college means a drastic increase in independence.
"What I tell parents and students both is that [a student's] overall performance is not based on academics alone. Participation in organizations and being street smart is an important part of education as is just as important as what you learn in economics or psychology," Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said. "You might get a 4.0, but you are not going to know how to survive. On the other hand, if you just focus on social participation, you won't have the credentials to... succeed. You've got to do both."
Some also find that spending less time in classes leaves more time to procrastinate, which inevitably leads to more stress in the future. The problem of time management faces just about every college student at one point in his or her undergraduate experience, most predominantly during the first year. Incoming students deal with an overwhelming number of changes in the transition from high school to college, not the least of which is the change to their daily routine. Because many students are accustomed to a highly regimented schedule in high school, suddenly having huge blocks of time in between a morning class and an afternoon class can throw them off track.
"The more time you have, the less you will be able to focus your attention on what you have to do," Reitman said. "The more you are actively engaged, the more you will be able to find time to accomplish what you are interested in. The busier you are, the more you will be able to focus on work."
Given the wide range of activities and organizations available to students, there may also be a tendency to "over-participate" and take on too many organizational responsibilities. Students who take on more extra-curricular roles run the risk of jeopardizing their academic performance.
"There are some students that I've known over the years who were so immersed in activities that their ability to pursue academic work is compromised, but this is not the general rule. Most people tend to waste time or [else they] can't focus," Reitman said.
When students do falter, there are a number of resources that they can use to get back on track. The Academic Resource Center, Class Deans, the Counseling Center, and even Health Services can offer advice and suggestions to students. "Students do not have academic problems because of lack of intelligence, but only because of problems that misdirect their attention from their studies," said Senior Class Dean Jeanne Dillon.
Academic motivation isn't necessarily an issue that only affects freshman. As the four years of college come to a close for this year's seniors and they begin to look forward to the future, it might be expected that academics get put on the back burner. According to Dillon, however, this is not always the case.
"More often than not they do their best work during their last year, and especially in the last semester," she said.
