PRESSURE OF A COLLEGE STUDENT

Pressure of a College Student

Pressure of a College Student

Introduction

The college years are a time of significant growth and change in the life of students. However, college is not an easy way in students' lives because they have to deal with a lot of pressure during their period of study. College pressure is something that happens in school every day. It comes from different sources like parents, friends, teachers, boyfriends, girlfriends and finally from students themselves. For instance, Cheryl wanted to fit in and she was 19 old, a junior in college, Maggie her classmate had invited her to a party at her house. When Maggie opened the door, the party was already under way Cheryl blushed when Bill, a centre on the basketball team smiled at her. He had a can of beer in his hand, “Hi,” he said, “would you like a beer?” No, she thought, she wouldn't like a beer. However, she desperately wanted Bill, Maggie, and everybody at this wonderful party to like her. College pressure can be as simple as that a mild suggestion from somebody you want to like you. In fact, college pressures are present in students lives and without a doubt, parental pressure and peer pressures are the most common of these.

Discussion

Parental pressure is always present on college students. Since most students are having their college tuition by their parents, they feel the pressure to “please” mom and dad often relinquishing their own goals in the process. In “College Pressure”, Zinsser (1970) observes, “Along with economic pressures goes parental pressure. Inevitably the two are deeply intertwined.” As an American educator he knows very well how economic pressure and parental pressure are related. Zinsser (2004) points out that the two kinds of pressure are deeply intertwined because parents put their money to support their children. As a result, students are not allowed to choose their professions. I follow his arguments in the way that since the parents are the principal economic supporter to the students they feel obligated to carry out their parents expectations because they do not want to lose parents' support. The author address much deeper the issue related to parental pressure and uses a beautiful observation. He says “I see many students taking pre-medical courses with joyless tenacity. They go off to their labs as if they were going to the dentist.”(Zinsser, 1970) As educator he gives the scenario that tells us how sad and miserable the students feel because they cannot choose what they want to be since their parents do. Also, he argues that their son and daughters want to choose different major than their parents want. He says, “Poor students, poor parents” (Zinsser, 1970). His arguments are valid because the pressure that comes from parents can be almost unbearable to a college student and this makes people who act in this issue affected by social pressure.

Do parents of college students put too much pressure on their children? The students probably say yes, and the parents ...