College life

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 383.

College life gives students a welcome measure of independence. But students should realize that new responsibilities go with this independence. They must balance hard work with recreation, allow enough time and energy for social activities, and learn to use to the best advantage the opportunities their school offers.

Residence. Most colleges that offer bachelor's degrees have residence halls or dormitories. Dormitory life offers many opportunities for students to make friends. Community colleges generally do not have dormitories. Many schools also have student-run residences called cooperatives. In these, the students can cut expenses by doing their own housework. Students may also live in private homes or apartments.

Many students live with their parents and commute (travel daily) between home and campus. Some colleges and universities whose campuses are in large cities provide commuter centers, where students who commute may spend free time while on campus.

Fraternities and sororities have houses at many schools. These groups choose their own members according to rules set up by the school. Educators do not agree on the value of the fraternity and sorority system. Some approve the social advantages of membership in these organizations. Others believe they tend to dominate college life and to become undemocratic. Some colleges prohibit social fraternities and sororities on their campuses. See FRATERNITY; SORORITY.

Instruction. College freshmen find they have much more time to do as they choose than they had in high school. Classes generally take up only about 15 hours each week, although there may be additional hours of laboratory work. The rest of the time between classes is free for study or recreation.

Most classes are lecture or discussion groups. In larger institutions, lectures may be given to hundreds of students at a time, sometimes with the help of closed-circuit television. Discussion groups, or seminars, are much smaller. Students often work onindividual projects outside of class and report on them to the group.

Many universities and colleges offer courses known as individualized-study or self-directed courses. Such courses have no formal classroom sessions. Students work independently on assignments outlined by course materials. They complete the work at their own pace, under the guidance of a faculty member. In this kind of course, the student may use computers, individually assigned laboratory booths, and other learning aids.

For a general discussion of tests and grading, see GRADING; TESTING.

Libraries. University and college libraries are storehouses of knowledge. Some hold several million volumes. The library must be used to the fullest extent for a student to receive the greatest benefit from a course. Routine classwork can only scratch the surface of any field of knowledge. Students can round out their education only by consistent and intelligent independent reading. See LIBRARY (College and university libraries).

Research and laboratory work. The college teacher tries to do more than merely hand the student facts to memorize. It is far more important to develop the student's ability to find information and to learn to think intelligently. For this reason, the teacher tries to direct the student in independent study and research by recommending books for outside reading and by suggesting new avenues of study in a certain field. Students in the sciences and engineering have laboratories in which to work. World-famous scientists direct some of these laboratories. In them they have made many important discoveries, often with the help of graduate students. For example, much of the original work on the use of atomic energy was done in the laboratories of the University of Chicago and the University of California.

Extracurricular activities outside the normal routine of classes and study help develop the student's personality, and provide a proper balance for the daily routine. Athletics are one of many possible activities (see SPORTS). Students may also work on thestaffs of school newspapers and magazines. They may take part in such activities as dramatics, music, debating, religion, and student government (see STUDENT GOVERNMENT).