Samantha
How different is real life from college?
Does college prepare you tot take care of yourself in the 'real world'? Are the skills I learn here pertinent to life after and if not what resources can I pursue to help me in life? #college-advice #college #graduation #young-adults #life-skills #life-transitions
7 answers
Brian Weissman
Brian’s Answer
The college experience is different for everyone. If you do the typical four year college and live in a dorm, it offers the least relevant life experience. But there are so many detours on that experience that you have opportunities to change that. The main goal of college is to teach you how to learn and think critically and give you some of the relevant knowledge for your field of study. It's impossible to give you everything you will need to know. Things that you hopefully pick up along the way are how to work in a team, how to manage your time, and how to balance conflicting responsibilities.
As I mentioned, there are ways to expand this experience to better prepare you for life.
- Having an apartment off campus gives you the real life experience of regular bills and dealing with landlords
- Getting an off-campus job further complicates scheduling and priorities, but gives you more of a sense of real world activities
- A co-op or internship gets you more relevant professional work experience
It is true that there are experiences in college that you won't get in the real world like do-overs on work, but there are some cases where the real world is less strict. For instance, getting a failing grade for missing a deadline is less realistic in all but the most extreme work cases. While there are consequences for missing a deadline, the stakes are not always that high.
James Constantine Frangos
James Constantine’s Answer
What sets apart the real world from college life?
The distinction between college life and the real world is quite pronounced in numerous ways. College is a regimented environment where students follow a fixed timetable of classes, homework, and tests. On the other hand, life after college demands greater independence and accountability as individuals maneuver through their careers, personal lives, monetary matters, and other facets of adulthood.
A key distinction between college and real life is the degree of self-reliance. While in college, students enjoy some liberty in picking their subjects and extracurricular activities, but they are still under the guidance of professors and academic counselors. In the real world, individuals are required to make decisions on their own and bear the full brunt of the outcomes of those decisions.
The focus of activities also varies. College life primarily revolves around learning and personal growth through academics and social interactions with fellow students. Post-graduation, the emphasis often shifts towards forging a career, managing finances, nurturing relationships, and other practical aspects of adult life.
Moreover, the support systems that are readily available in college may not be as easily accessible in the real world. Colleges usually provide resources like counseling services, career centers, health clinics, and academic support programs to aid students' success. Once out of college, individuals may need to find similar resources independently or depend on their personal networks for support.
Does college equip you to fend for yourself in the 'real world'? Are the skills I acquire here relevant to life after college?
While college can impart valuable skills and experiences that are useful in the real world, it might not fully prepare individuals for every aspect of adult life. College education typically arms students with critical thinking skills, communication prowess, time management methods, research capabilities, and other transferable skills that are useful in various professional scenarios.
However, certain life skills that are crucial for success in the real world might not be explicitly taught in college. These include financial literacy (budgeting, investing), emotional intelligence (self-awareness, empathy), networking skills (building relationships), decision-making abilities (evaluating options), adaptability (dealing with change), resilience (overcoming obstacles), and practical knowledge (cooking, home maintenance).
While colleges are increasingly offering programs or workshops focused on developing these life skills alongside academic coursework, it ultimately falls on the individual to actively seek out opportunities to enhance these areas outside of traditional classroom settings.
What resources can I tap into to help me navigate life after college?
There's a wealth of resources available to aid recent graduates in successfully transitioning into life after college:
Career Services: Many colleges boast robust career centers that provide services like resume crafting assistance, job search guidance, interview preparation workshops, career fairs, and alumni networking opportunities.
Professional Development Programs: Platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera offer online courses on a broad spectrum of topics including leadership development, project management skills, coding languages proficiency - all of which are valuable for career progression.
Mentorship Programs: Finding mentors who have experience in your chosen field can offer priceless guidance and support as you navigate the initial stages of your career.
By actively utilizing these resources and persistently seeking opportunities for growth and development beyond what's taught in college classrooms, individuals will be better prepared for success in the 'real world'.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
Harvard Business Review: The Harvard Business Review offers insights on leadership development strategies that are relevant to transitioning from academia to professional environments.
Forbes: Forbes provides articles on career advice for young professionals entering the workforce post-graduation.
American Psychological Association (APA): The APA offers resources on emotional intelligence development which is vital for success in personal and professional life transitions after college graduation.
GOD BLESS YOU!
JC.
Pratibha Balaji
Pratibha’s Answer
Hey there!
Colleges will not help you in understanding real life, they help you in just achieving a career path(in most cases). I do agree, college is competitive but not as cut throat as the real world. College is still a safe bubble in which we are put in, where we are still dependent on someone else to take care of us. We do not shoulder all of life's responsibilities and all we have to do is gain knowledge and good grades.
Real life is not as rosy as they portray it in the cine world. Real life involves paying bills, taking care ( feeding, clothing, cleaning among many others) of yourself and several others ( family and friends), making sure your refrigerator is well stocked, balancing your time such that you have work-life balance, spending enough money so that you enjoy and not spending extravagantly and save some aside for the future. It totally sucks, but you will love it.
Let me also tell you, it may seem scary, but this transition is a must for everybody. So do not worry about the future, tackle one day at a time. Be brave, fierce and ready to take challenges on your way and you will definitely fit in this world of misfits.
Pratibha recommends the following next steps:
Krishna Chaitanya Tumuluru
Krishna Chaitanya’s Answer
Krista van Kaathoven
Krista’s Answer
'Real life' is just a new stage in life. The most important thing in life after college is finding a good life/work balance. You'll be having more responsibilities and a new daily schedule. Make sure to plan things you love to do when you're off from work. The best advice I can give you is to never stop learning. In college you learn how to do work but how to live your life? There are amazing books that can guide you and even online there is so much knowledge available (Tedtalk, Youtube etc) that can help you to find your passion, how to be happy, how to find the job you'll love. All the best!
Vijay Singh
Vijay’s Answer
You will not get multiple chances to do something like you got when you failed in some exams in college.
So whatever you do.... do it with full efforts.
Jeanine Harris
Jeanine’s Answer
Hi there! College is a stage in life. When I first started college, I was so shy and afraid to branch out and socialize. I soon realized there were a lot of people in the same boat with me. I joined clubs and made friends quickly. I think that the social aspect alone prepared me for adulthood. I never realized how much my parents sacrificed to make sure that I had a good education until I had to go to college. I learned how to really cook healthy meals, do laundry (the right way), and budget my money. Its important to start those good habits as soon as possible, so that you are set up for success later in life! Good luck!