For many people, higher education is needed as they pursue their desired career paths. However, the same seven deadly sins of lust, gluttony, envy, greed, anger, sloth, and pride that keep one unhappy and unmotivated in everyday life, even if one does not realize these are the source of their unhappiness, can also be applied even more specifically to students. Most will struggle with at least one of these areas, if not all of them, in their academic journey. Being aware of the common potential downfalls, though, can better set up a student opportunities to overcome them. This, in turn, will help them in overcoming obstacles in their life after school as well.
Lust in the academic environment would not typically be the first of all the major sins that most would initially think of. However, it is still prominent in the classroom. Students come to class not with the intention of learning or listening to their professor, but for the intent of socializing with a peer or for pursuing potential dating and romantic relationships. A personal example of this would be during my freshman year of college. I had a classmate who had her eyes on another classmate of ours. Throughout the semester, her main goal was pursuing him. She would come to class dressed seductively, and she would create
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Competition in the classroom can be very intense, especially when other students appear to excel relatively quickly while you have to struggle through. I personally experienced this one in a class I had several years ago. I put in hours to my work and was not receiving the grades I wanted. On the other hand, a classmate never seemed to study and aced every assignment. It was very easy for me to become resentful of her and her success. These situations can become even more detrimental than my experience was. The worst case scenarios have students actively putting others down or trying to sabotage them in order to feel better about themselves and their own
Society views college as the door way to success. However, many people fail to realize the same effort put into college also needs application after or failure starts creeping in from the side. Anna Chinero, a recent graduate, moved back home after failing to find a job. Chinero concludes her article, “Elevated by the Train”, by expressing, “instead of always looking out toward somewhere else, I’m beginning to look around here, wondering how I can make this neighborhood the better place my parents always sought for me.” Many graduates, like Ana, loose direction in attempting to achieve their dreams they possessed entering college.
Students desire to stay up to par with their peers, whether that be socially or in this case, on the academic level. When one individual falls behind, there’s pressure on him or her to pick himself/herself up. At the same time, parents often stress the importance of the student’s grades along with the implications of the student’s future, such as entering a good college or landing a high-paying job. Moreover, the student’s own pride and personal aspirations are put on the line. Therefore, because society applies pressure on the student to perform well in school to admit himself/herself into a prestigious college or acquire a luxurious job, students reevaluate themselves and realize the way to reach that kind of success is not through arguing well but through “a show of information or vast reading, by grade-grubbing, or other forms of one-upmanship.”
However, it is utterly inappropriate between professors and students, supervisors and employees, or adults and children. Additionally, it is imperative that both parties are equal in power and neither feels inadequate. An example of flirtation that Mann suggests is the setting in the feminist film Thelma and Louise. Louise appropriately flirts with Thelma but she initially does not reciprocate these feelings. Therefore, Louise avoids further flirtation out of respect for her.
Some people carry the responsibility of repaying student loans well into their adulthood. The writer suggests these people should consider a different pathway in order to not deal with that responsibility. Even if financial difficulties can possibly be taken care of, college brings on rigorous academic challenges as well. Not every student is equipped with the skills to succeed in college; in fact, Pharinet states that, “there are students who cannot read attending college” (Pharinet 680). Although a rare case, it completely goes against the idea that college is for everyone.
“Students suffer from anxiety, stress and mental health issues due to high cost of colleges (Dr. Teresa Sullivan).” More than 41% of students suffer from one form, the amount of stress added to students to pay off high student loans and/or not be able to pay for their next classes or even the material needed is alarming. We could relieve the stress off students which will in return allow them to focus on their school work and get better results. 2. Students can be more successful in their education and will have the information and knowledge needed to assist and give back to their communities.
Grit + External Factors versus College College, University, or any form of post secondary education. The common place of higher education is society is seen as a crucial part of an individual’s progress to achieving their life’s goals in whatever it may be. However many fall short on achieving their college diploma due to lack of ‘grit’; “Sticking with things over the very long term until you master them.” as Duckworth notes, or perhaps external factors that cause a halt on pursuing further education. In any of the circumstances, each has their faults that can be attributed to a lack of grit or simply life took over.
In Chapter Seven: Lessons From My Year as a Freshman, Rebekah Nathan summarizes and answers questions on the knowledge she gained from becoming a freshman. The author begins the chapter with a cross-cultural conversation between professors and students. She discusses how professors are not aware of the students living conditions or the effort that goes into achieving a high GPA. Likewise, the students do not understand professor rank and advancement.
A “desperate” person is consideredas someone who is obsessively seeking for love or intimacy and is unable to let go his or her feelings, it is a rule. Additionally, people start to change their behavior and even their life style because they do not get what need. They become obsessed or addicted if there is no love or intimacy around them. Meanwhile, the word “slut” contains a strong negative description, but it is acceptable within the hook-up culture. Students are constantly within these circumstances, but they rather be labeled “sluts” than “desperate” and act as if they do not care about meaningful relationships or meaningful sexual
The Pursuit of Grades Over Happiness There are many accomplishments that we have achieved, yet many to achieve, and the race towards them never seems to stop. Well, this is the case for many students because the race towards achieving high grades never comes to an end. Grades are meaningless in the grand scheme of things, as they do not control the rest of your life, but yet are still overly looked upon and can affect a student’s life drastically. However, a poet once said, “Life is not a race, but a journey, to be savored each step of the way” (Nancye Sims).
Throughout the essay, Charles Murray stresses the idea that college is the wonderland of finding oneself and to find the career that one would want to follow for the rest of their lives. “College is seen as the open sesame to a good job and a desirable way for adolescents to transition to adulthood. Neither reason is as persuasive as it first appears.” Murray, C (2008) Practically spoken, this is not normally the case. College is a fair amount of work, much more work than one would normally acquire through any course of a high school or secondary school setting.
And in between, students are driven to take low paying and high paying jobs against their own consent, their interests are altered, personal decisions must be taken according to financial situations, and people dare to reject education (Choi, 32). Student loan debt weighs on billions of shoulders in the world and it is nearly impossible to be oblivious to all the harm that it has done and all the factors it takes part in affecting that it shouldn’t. If awareness could be raised and colleges would only consider to at least reduce tuition rather than eliminate it, that would still help do the nation well and commence improvement. An education must serve to inspire imagination and to motivate creativity in as many fields as possible. A society that is excellent is a society that presents opportunities for each and every member.
Students become “obsessed with their studies” and nothing else becomes important (Zinsser). This produces an accumulation of students who don’t spend time to do extracurricular activities. The mixture of pressure from peers and from one’s self allows a chain of events that lead to undesirable
Amid the rise of sexual harassment, assault, and rape accusations in current media, versing oneself in appropriate behavior is vitally important, particularly when attempting to engage another party romantically. Many men and women are asking themselves, “When does flirtation become sexual harassment?”. Asking oneself these questions and remaining introspective of one’s behavior towards others is imperative to the protection of the well-being of those around oneself. As such, it is vitally important to understand what the lines between flirting, sexual harassment, and sexual aggression are and how best to avoid crossing from one into the next. Flirting is a behavior that oftentimes has a romantic or sexual goal.
Students face various challenges throughout their college career. Thus, the problems that students have can range from balance, new lifestyle, to financial problems. Therefore, finding a balance between being a student, possibly working, and keeping up with their social life is a necessity. Similarly, others are away from home for the first time thus, they have a new responsibility with being on their own and findings ways to deal with homesickness. Likewise, being exposed to new financial situations is yet another challenge college students will need to learn how to cope with.
College represents something different to everyone. The student will be accountable for attending class, navigating around campus, and obtaining help when needed. When young people leave home for the academic world, they embark on a new journey that includes independence, adventure, and uncovering their individuality. Most students are not prepared for the trials of academe and end up feeling overwhelmed. College life can be a hard adjustment.