At last you've done it! You've gained your points and a college place and you're on cloud nine. It's what you've worked for and dreamed about for years. But after the congratulations, the partying and the general euphoria, you'd be well advised to come down to earth and ask yourself whether your college days are going to be the best years of your life or simply a missed opportunity.
For most people, going to third level is a fantastic experience, but there are pitfalls of which you need to be aware. In a recent survey of Carlow RTC students Anne Carpenter, who is the college's head of student services, discovered that students who are well-prepared for college and think beforehand about the difficulties they may face, are far less likely to fail or drop out.
"The people who persist are those who say that they have thought in advance about the problems they'll encounter," she says.
The two major hurdles that have to be overcome by most people are homesickness - if you're leaving home for the first time - and loneliness. It can he daunting to turn up for the first time to a huge, third-level institution without knowing a single one of the thousands of students there. But you can take comfort from the fact that initial homesickness and loneliness are both normal and the first thing you should do is make contact with other students. Almost all freshers, however self-confident they may appear, are going to be as anxious and uncertain as you are and will appreciate it if you go up to them and introduce yourself.
If however, you're going to college with a ready-made bunch of friends, you're advised to avoid cliques and make the effort to meet new people. You'll never have an opportunity like this again, when you are surrounded by so many people of your own age, from different backgrounds and from all parts of the country and even abroad. By mixing with these different people you'll be broadening your own horizons, which is what going to college is all about. And joining clubs and societies is a good way of meeting people, acquiring new interests and hobbies and even gaining organisational and management experience.
Most colleges organise freshers' weeks - make sure that you attend yours and any other induction courses or social events that are offered. It's a great way of meeting other students - particularly people from other disciplines with whom you would otherwise never make contact. Ensure too that you introduce yourself to your personal tutor (if you have been assigned one) at an early stage. And acquaint yourself with student services: health, counselling, chaplaincy, accommodation and financial. If you have a problem - either personal, financial, social or academic - do seek help immediately. Remember, these services are there for you.
Once you've got to know a few people and you've settled in, the next big hurdle you'll face is time management. The big difference between second and third level is that you're really on your own at college. No one is going to organise your work schedule for you. You'll find that you have relatively few contact hours compared with school, and you may be tempted to spend your so-called "free" time socialising, or even skip classes. Avoid those traps. "Students need to look on college as a 40 week," advises Barry Kehoe, who is director of student services at DCU. "If you have 23 contact hours per week, you should do 17 hours private study and take one and a half days off over a seven day period."
Anne Carpenter's research shows that a high percentage of people who fail or drop out of college are working in paid employment for more than 15 hours per week. This is borne out by a similar study undertaken in DC
Third level courses are demanding. "A limited amount of paid work at weekends or during vacation is beneficial but too much affects a student's study, health and enjoyment of campus life," warns Barry Kehoe. DCU's director of student services is also concerned about students who travel long distances to college each day. "Some students may manage to study while using public transport, but for any it is energy sapping and eats into their study and leisure time. If they can afford it they would be better moving nearer to college," he says.
Motivation and commitment are major determinants of academic success, the colleges say. If you re disinterested in certain subjects or feel they are of little relevance you're less likely to do well. Similarly, you may have been top of the class at school, but find yourself way down the list at third level. Get on with your life and avoid becoming demotivated or dispirited if you discover that there are people in the World who are cleverer than you are.
Third-level study requirements differ from those at second level. If your college provides study skills seminars or packages on the computer network, make sure you avail of them. Check that your method of note-taking is effective - at third level you need only take downs the salient points. Remember too that at third-level there are no definitive texts that can be regurgitated. You're expected to read `around your' subject and consult newspapers and journals as well as recommended texts.
It's also wise to work out a financial budget before you embark on a college career. Costs will vary from person to person but DCU have calculated that it costs £465 per month to keep a single student who his living away from home at college and £258 for a student living at home. But the good news is that you can be creative about saving money. Try bringing in your own sandwiches for lunch, cycling or walking to college and availing of student discount schemes, earlybird menus and cheap-rate early cinema shows - and don't forget to check out second-hand shops for low priced clothing. But avoid skimping on your textbooks. It's advisable to identify the most important books and buy them.
Some people go to college, work like crazy and have no social lives; others spend their whole lives socialising. The chances are that years later both will regret the fact that they failed to achieve their full potential. Achieving the correct balance between work and play is the simple secret of true college success.
