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College and University Blog

The College Years: Top Ten Problems

You鈥檒l probably wind up looking back on your college experience as the best years of your life, but college students really do face quite a bit of stress. In no particular order, here are 10 issues that most college students face, and I speak from experience: these 鈥減roblems鈥 seem absolutely horrible at the time, yet you鈥檒l come to realize that they really weren鈥檛 that bad 鈥 once they鈥檙e over and done with, of course!

10. Financial Issues

Money (or lack of money) is an issue for most college students. It鈥檚 expensive to attend college in the first place, and you also need money to purchase textbooks, school supplies, food, and other necessities. Even if you have a part-time job, it鈥檚 probably not the highest paying one on the planet. You鈥檙e not alone鈥攎ost students never have as much money as they need.

9. Jobs

Some college students have the misconception that just because they鈥檙e in college, they鈥檙e entitled to a great, high-paying job. Unfortunately, you鈥檒l probably be stuck working in retail or foodservice. During college, my job official title was cashier, but I had to do everything from cleaning the floors at night to taking people鈥檚 groceries out to their car. I also had to 鈥 and this is my personal favorite 鈥 sell hot dogs and Cokes in the parking lot any time there was a fundraiser.

8. Eating and Drinking

You鈥檒l probably get sick of eating in the school dining halls, so you鈥檒l want to go out for meals. Unfortunately, that 鈥渓ack of money鈥 problem gets in the way of going somewhere nice. Get used to Taco Bell and Wendy鈥檚, and be aware of the Freshman Fifteen. If you鈥檙e aware of it you鈥檒l probably be able to control yourself. Drinking is another thing you may have to deal with. Alcohol isn鈥檛 cheap. Perhaps you don鈥檛 enjoy drinking. Good for you, but get ready for comments or criticism from others. Stand your ground, though, and don鈥檛 do anything that you鈥檙e against.

7. Your Parents

Your parents may call regularly to 鈥渟ee how things are going.鈥 Remember that it鈥檚 only because they love you and miss having you around. It may seem annoying, but don鈥檛 get too frustrated. After all, they鈥檙e probably contributing quite a large chunk of change for you to be at college, and they might even mail you a check if you鈥檙e convincing enough when you whine about being broke.

6. Coursework and Studying

A college degree really does stand for something. This translates into 鈥淐ollege courses are not easy.鈥 Some will seem easier than others, but they all involve effort. You鈥檒l also wind up getting stressed and/or frustrated over your classes and massive amounts of homework, so don鈥檛 forget that鈥檚 basically the entire reason you鈥檙e attending college to begin with鈥攖o learn things.

5. Friends and Dating

You鈥檙e going to meet a lot of new people. You鈥檒l wind up with some great friends, but that doesn鈥檛 mean that they all have to become your BFF. If someone you鈥檙e not too thrilled with wants to be your buddy, try to be polite by avoiding any plans they want to make. You can be 鈥渃onveniently busy鈥 each time they ask, and eventually, they鈥檒l get the hint. If you meet someone who continually asks you out on dates, you may want to say, 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry but I鈥檓 not interested.鈥 That should take care of the issue, but if the person won鈥檛 take no for an answer or tries to harm you in any way, report them to the proper authoritiesh3.

4. Roommates

If the person who is driving you insane is your roommate, that鈥檚 a different story entirely because you are forced to live with them. If you wound up randomly stuck with someone you just can鈥檛 stand, you may have to put up with it for now. Most colleges won鈥檛 change your room assignment in the middle of the semester, but you can meet with the residence office to see if you can be switched for the next term. If things get too unbearable, try to avoid being in the dorm room whenever he/she is there and hope for the best.

3. Professors

Some professors are absolutely wonderful鈥攖hey love what they do and they鈥檙e great at their jobs. Sadly, this isn鈥檛 the case for all of them. You鈥檙e going to run into a lot of different instructors during college. Try to get other students鈥 opinions of professors before signing up for their classes. In some cases, though, you absolutely have to have a certain teacher. You may just have to suffer through it.

2. Lack of Sleep

Due to your busy course load, part-time job, and social life, you probably aren鈥檛 getting as much sleep as you鈥檇 like to be getting. Try to take naps whenever you can, because even a ten or fifteen minute snooze may help you get through the day.

1. Busy Schedule

The busy life of a college student can start getting hectic easily. Keep track of classes, work, due dates, exams, birthdays, and any other things that you need to remember in your student planner. It鈥檚 important to be on time and show up for everything that you need to attend, so stay on top of things by being organized.

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Melissa Rhone earned her Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Tampa. She resides in the Tampa Bay area and enjoys writing about college, pop culture, and epilepsy awareness.