College Isn't Hard, You're Just Making It Hard For Yourself
College is just high school 2.0, but you'd think it's rocket science from how college students complain.
**Disclaimer: if you have a learning disability or mental illness that truly does make college a hard undertaking for you, this article is not about you.
**Post-live edit: A lot of people have been taking this article out of context and getting super offended over it. This article is pretty clearly directed at college underclassmen who are taking easy classes and failing because they're irresponsible. If you are truly trying your hardest and utilizing all of your resources, this is not about you. This is about those who don't try and wonder why they're failing. Don't get so offended over things you read on the internet.
Everyone knows that college students have it so hard and college classes are just so difficult. I mean, who hasn't had to repeat four classes because they failed the first time around? Who hasn't been on academic probation for at least one semester, am I right?
Well, no.
Here's some truth for you: college is not hard. No really, it isn't. You will be challenged. You will be pushed. But it is not hard, and it is doable if you put in the time and the effort to get through it.
About half of a typical college student's classes will be core classes that are completely unrelated to the student's major. These classes are usually 100-level classes, sometimes 200. They're only 300-level classes if they have options that can be tied in with your major.
This means about half of a college student's classes are easy, one-time subjects they only have to take to fulfill a requirement. That's not to mention all of the introductory classes we have to take at the beginning of our majors.
The bottom line is, about a third of a student's classes are lower level classes. Another third of them might be the 200-300 level intermediate classes, and while they can take an adjustment at first in terms of time required to do the work and study, trust me, they're plenty doable. That leaves a third of the classes that actually might be considerably difficult, but you won't reach those classes until well into your college career.
So why are so many FRESHMEN on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat complaining about how HARD college is?
They're lazy and irresponsible, that's why.
I will grant that sometimes some classes just don't click. Math and science classes don't make sense to some people, and that's fine. Sometimes you land a bad professor who's out to fail you. It happens sometimes.
However, a lot of college students spend too much of their time out with their friends or sneaking into bars and house parties, and THAT is why they're failing. They aren't failing because college is hard.
They're failing because they're too busy messing around and enjoying their newfound freedom to understand just how important college is.
Even one failed class will drag your GPA down, and then you're in a hole that's hard to get out of. These new college students don't understand that, and THAT is why "college is hard."
College is relatively easy if you manage your time well and do things before they're due. Take time to actually read your textbooks, study, and contact your professors. Do your homework. Stop skipping assignments. Don't stay up all night before your exam cramming because you were partying all weekend.
Seriously, just practice good school and time management skills and you'll be fine.
If you're reading this and this applies to you -- it's your fault. It's not your professor's fault, it's not your parent's fault, it's not your roommate's fault for bailing on going to the library with you. Stop going to parties every Friday, stop skipping classes because you're hungover. Get it together and get through it. Trust me, it isn't hard if you do it right.
