What I learned in my first year – How is College different from School
Those carefree days at school, those joyful moments, times when we just worried about studying from 8am to 1pm, times when we searched across tiffins, looking for food, times when uniforms made all of us look alike. Meenakshi Kukreja, who just finished her first year at Delhi University, compares the present times with the past, and tells us about which side the grass is greener on :)
College creates the adrenaline rush which is often absent during school days. We dare to do and experiment now. College opens windows of opportunities, to allow us to experience the taste of the world around you. Because you are no more in your protective shell. You have stepped out in the big-bad-world.
Here are a few points which clearly distincts college from school for me.
1. Freedom
Yaa, sounds vague to the ears, because it’s hard to define it. But come on, let’s accept this. College guarantees much more freedom and space to breathe than school. The number of classes you can bunk, sneak out, or roam around the city, college doesn’t fail to disappoint there,
Though school was wonderful in terms of allowing us follow a fixed routine, and since we were kids, parents were over-protective, college lets you become mature, and once you’ve entered that age, parents too become a little relaxed. You have the freedom to watch movies, go for outings and night outs, live in a hostel independently, drive your dad’s car, manage your own bank account, and many more..
2. Dress code
School was synonymous with uniformity, but college allows us to wear anything out of the blue. It’s the time to mix and match the branded stuff you recently purchased from Zara with some interesting junk jewellery from Janpath. College never fails to disappoint when it comes to trying and experimenting with all sorts of attires. But school followed a strict code of uniform. Hence college lets you get out of the boring uniform there!
3. Discipline
Schools win here straight away. Hands down!
4. Parent-Teacher Meetings
College saves us from the embarrassment most of us had to face on the PTA meetings. Since universities function on a large scale basis, parent-professor interaction is the least. So, yes, we are saved there!
5. Punctuality/ Attendance
School was always strict about punctuality and attendance, but at college, rules are relaxed in this matter. Punctuality is a relative term at college, somehow.
6. Attention
This one accounts for a major change in the two phases of life. While you feel wanted in school, you get a lot of attention from peers and teachers, you tend to be pretty popular and are admired by all, you experience the opposite at college. Nobody cares about you, asks you, or runs behind you in college. You are on your own, living a life of a warrior, trying to survive in this world full of demons!
7. Plagiarism
It’s taken way too seriously at college than at school. No comments beyond this!
8. Socialising
College life brings along a socialising factor with a lot of dumb as well as street-smart students. It’s then that you realise where you stand at the moment and where you want to be in the near future. Realisations happen quite often, and the intelligent lot inspire you to start reading and following news closely (pun intended).
You learn at both the stages of life, but where at school, we tend to let things go for tomorrow, at college, we prefer to do it today, and get over with it. So let’s face it, while college might be harsh, it still teaches you to be independent and become mature. School days are the best days of your life indeed, but saying that it goes downhill from the age of 18 wouldn’t be right.
Let us know about your school and college life and how they’ve shaped you as an individual, in the comments section below!
Image Credits
1: http://www.naznet.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=806&d=1280744478&thumb=1
2: http://www.myfreephotoshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/53.jpg
3: http://sanafarzand.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/university_campus_cartoon.jpg
