Get ready for transit from school to college

Post the SSLC results, students aspire to enter the threshold of another home - a college, to make their aspirations a reality.

While the preparations are on to get going, expectations and aspirations play havoc on a student’s life.

At the same time, the college life, which in many ways is different from the school life, sometimes put the student in a non-hospitable situations.

New friends, little control, and money in the pocket make life enticing and adventurous. It is important that the students understand the objective of going to a college.

College life is a major milestone in a person's life and it can really help, amidst the chaos, to spend a few moments reflecting on the seriousness and importance college life
Just like your choice of a college, choosing what you would want to do and what you dare not do is very important.

Well, it’s better to be as informed as possible as realize later that you made a mistake of some kind.

Is college life synonym to bunking, low attendance, proxy, canteen, chatting by the parking lot, excuses of extra classes on holidays, night outs, tours, midnight biryani, bike rides and movies?

If you answer in the affirmative, real life will come along and give you a shock.

As a new student starting college, you will likely start getting slammed with all kinds of assignments and journal works from your teachers and seducing enjoyment proposals from some classmates.

The “golden spoon fed student friends”  may have a backing of their parents to support their career, but what about those who struggle to meet the ends meet.

Students should realise the sacrifice which their parents have made to get them an admission into the college.

It is now the students turn to morally own up the responsibilities and study. I would like to ask some questions to my student friends:

As soon as you enter the college, why do you refrain from getting a tiffin-box from home?

Is it that you feel below dignity to eat the food you carry from home?

There can be no substitute to what your mother has cooked with love and within her means. Ask those who do not have a mother.

They crave to eat food prepared at home by a mother. You are a blessed and fortunate one. Why spend your parents hard earned money in the canteen then?

Why do you feel embarrassed to use a bicycle to the college?

Will coming to college on a motorbike improve your self image?

And what if all your friends get to know that your father goes to office on a cycle and you use a bike? Where is your self respect?

Do you have the courage to tell your rich friends that you cannot afford a luxurious student life?

Why do you require a costly cell phone in the first place?

Modesty always pays in the long run. Showoff can get you friends immediately, but will not stay with you.

Why can’t you use a note book that is bound with blank  left over pages of the previous years note books?

Does taking those designer note books in any way add to your calibre? 

Learn to use resources efficiently. By doing this, you help your family and the nation as well.

Why can’t you carry a bottle of water from your home?

It is fashionable to buy a mineral water today to avoid the embarrassment of drinking water from a bottle carried from home. Why? 

Dignity?  At what cost are you trying to be fashionable and show dignity?

Study comes next, humility and gratitude come first. One cannot be a successful student on false image, ego and deceptiveness.

Be what you are. Tell friends what you are and who you are.

Be proud of your family and family profession. Be proud of your past.

Be proud of your school and your village.

Once a student learns to live his life without adulteration, study and learning just happens.

Students need to set their priorities - classes and homework trump all other social aspects of college - if people think you are a geek or a loser, then shun such people, what you do now has a lot to do with where you will end up later.

College is supposed to prepare you for real life - most fail miserably because they do not have any parental supervision.

Neglecting their college going child is a recipe for disaster.

If you try to skim by in college and do the bare minimum in college, you will land in the no-man’s-land.

In this competitive world, we need to be fast, get whatever knowledge is available, search for more, mine for more, scavenge for more but get enough of knowledge that will lay the foundation for your future.

Tips for students

Attend college religiously and regularly. Avoid distractions of any sort. Remember: Your effort in college will bear fruits for you in future.

Make friends carefully. Understand, know, and then gel.

Say no to instigations to have tobacco, cigarette and alcohol. You get one step closer to cancer and take your parents two steps closer to death.

n Spend within your means till you earn. Remember, all you may have is what belongs to your parents.

Say ‘No’ to rash driving. Do not even sit as a pillion rider on a friend’s bike  who is known for rash riving. Death often claims to pillion rider.

Avoid off- the college parties. Anything can go wrong, and you may be a victim of innocence.

Girls should avoid getting photographed with boys. Know your proximity limits. It can hamper your life later.

Use time judiciously. Attending classes, library visits, discussions and interactions with your teachers is the best way to spend time in the college.

Have fun: Having fun is an important part of stress management, but have fun within cultural and societal boundaries.

Do not be obsessed either by any materialistic thing or any relationship.

Have positive self talk: I am good, I am okay, they are okay, situation is good, food is good, I can do it, teacher is good, subject is nice, I enjoy reading.

Dress modestly. Our culture is in decent clothing not de-clothing.

Keep your parents informed about your whereabouts and your company.

And finally, good or bad, tell your parents and teachers.

Share your success with them and also your failures.

Share joyful moments and drop those tears in their lap.

Get help when it is needed. Keeping things to your self can be dangerous.

Love the ‘student life’, love learning and you will love life.