Every senior has the typical dream of college: it’s going to be like sleepaway camp. However, the ones that come into college with that mindset and do not change after the first semester, are left in the dust.

   A huge part of college is the independence the students are experiencing. When students are staying on campus, they are responsible for everything. “College is a growing experience, you get away from your family. I think that gives you opportunity to grow a little bit as well, instead of needing your parents for everything,” said history teacher Mr. McAleer, who attended Rider University.

   It’s a hard adjustment for students to adjust to colleges’ self-reliant nature. New York University did a survey in 2009 that showed that 85% of 2,240 undergraduates experience daily stress and have seen a spike in mental health counseling.

   When students are at college, mommy and daddy can’t tell you to go to class, do your homework, or do your laundry… you just have to do it. “A lot of kids ending up leaving [school] in the second semester because they didn’t know how to balance their responsibilities,” said Latin teacher Mr. Mercurio, who attended Rutgers New Brunswick. Because incoming students have a hard time adjusting to this new freedom, a large amount drop out, fail out, or stay in college longer.

   College.usatoday stated that the number one reason why students are graduating late is because they have lack of planning and advisement. Freshman students take a relaxed approach to college and tend to never get out of that until it’s too late. “I’ve had many friends that still have two more semesters to go and they have been here for two years. They usually regret those times they went out to party instead of studying for that test,“ said senior at Rutgers Camden, Michael Davis.

   A big part of succeeding in college is having the discipline to get the priorities out of the way. “As a freshman a lot people had to make the decision of ‘how am I going to spend my time,” said Mr. Mercurio. It can be extremely tempting to go out to get food with your friends instead of looking over your homework for the next class, but students have to decide what is more important to them.

   Incoming students who haven’t experienced a lot of indepence can go a overboard once they are by themselves. “If you are just graduating high school, then the amount of coursework mixed with the personal life and new sense of independence will get to you, ” according to  the website Blog.peterson.com.

   “You are coddled by your parents, and then you go to senior trip or prom and people go nuts…You need to unveil a little of independence to kids as they grow up,” said Mr. McAleer. To prevent first year students from going overboard, parents need to gradually give them that independence they need.

   Another way to feel comfortable in college is to join a club or a sports team. Ray Okoro, a graduate from Rutgers New Brunswick, was apart of the football team, so he already had a support system. “I was happy to be on my own for the first time. I was very sure of myself, and by the time college started, I was at the school for a month because of football,  so I wasn’t scared. Being apart of a sports team helped me have friends, and I already made myself known on campus,” said Ray Okoro.

   “It was tough the first year, trying to manage all of that [sports, school, social life, and work], but as the years went on I realized what was more important. As long as I had my school work done and practice was finished, then I could worry about other things,” said Stefano Okoro, younger brother of Ray, who graduated from University of Bridgeport. With being an adult you have to have discipline to succeed.

   College, for most people, is the first real taste of freedom. You are completely on your own and you have to be responsible for yourself. To have a good experience and finish on time, it is key to know how to handle your new independence. “When you are at home you have a comfort blanket. Once you are at college you are on your own. You have to make sure you are getting the proper food, going to sleep, studying. The change is knowing how to be proactive and knowing your situations, becoming your own parent,” said Ray Okoro.