National Collegiate Honors Council
Date of this Version
2018
Document Type
Article
Citation
Honors in Practice 14 (2018)
Abstract
Students arrive on a college campus full of excitement for their futures; most of them wholeheartedly and enthusiastically embrace the culture of learning, the newfound independence, and the pursuit of nonacademic interests that typify the college experience. Unfortunately, a student’s subsequent daily life can be dominated by such questions as how to do well in classes, how to keep scholarships, how to balance a part-time job, and how to find time for extracurricular activities. Many of the skills necessary to thrive at college—such as managing time, dealing with roommates and stress, developing rapport with faculty, mastering the educational material, and planning for a career—can be overwhelming to young college students. A survey of first-year college students in 2012 reported that 47% struggled with effective time management, 47% had difficulty getting along with their roommate, 41% were dissatisfied with the relevance of coursework, 42% frequently felt overwhelmed by all they had to do, 35% switched majors, 33% had difficulty adjusting to the demands of the coursework, 33% had a hard time developing effective study skills, and 25% left college before their sophomore year (Higher Education Research Institute). Meanwhile, as educators we strive to encourage intellectual curiosity, to inspire a love of learning, to foster the application of knowledge, to embrace self-reflection, and to develop the whole person. We aim to assist them in developing the character of a critical thinker, in maturing as an individual, and in progressing toward becoming a success within their chosen field, i.e., we aim to assist them in their personal and professional development. To accomplish this aim, we need to meet students where they are.
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Copyright 2018 National Collegiate Honors Council