Many students enter college without the foggiest notion of their major, and the emotional stress of this can be exhausting. NW students and teachers said they attest to the value of education and “hanging in there.” 

“One out of 20 students come to me as a first-time college student knowing exactly what they want to do,” NW academic advisor Liz Bradley said. “There are three out of the same 20 that are driven by something their parents or guardians want them to become.”

The upshot of this is that many students feel lost in the shuffle, creating a poor mindset for learning. Adding to the pressure is the cost of tuition that keeps rising.

NW student Jazael Garcia said he thinks students’ behavior contributes to the stress.

“People do the bare minimum,” he said. “They show up because they have to and wait to the last minute for homework. And most people don’t want to participate in class.” 

NW English associate professor Carroll Savant said he agrees to a large extent with Garcia. He believes students with no plans and a general lack of enthusiasm can harm the classroom environment.

“They suck the energy out of the room,” he said. “Their attitudes and work ethic are poor, and they are often passive-aggressive.”

Statistics prove that degrees are valuable.

“They play a big factor,” Savant said. “People with a college degree earn more money over their lifetime.”

While people often make more money with a college degree, society’s emphasis on money contributes significantly to the pressure students face. 

“I believe society’s pressure of making more money and doing better is the pressure that most college students encounter while attending college,” Bradley said. 

Even so, Savant and Bradley say sticking with it pays off.

“The majority of students enter college without a plan, especially the first year,” Savant said. “But usually, a plan develops over time.”

Bradley said he thinks students are strongly encouraged by family and friends to attend college but believes higher education is needed.

“This doesn’t just apply to four-year college degrees,” she said. “I believe there is a huge need for two-year degrees as well. The trades are definitely needed and should be looked at.”

The pressure that students have to attend college affects students in different ways.

“I have seen the student that wants a quick way to make money through a skill or degree,” she said. “But I have also seen students feel the pressure to be something their heart isn’t into it.”

This, she said, leads to nowhere.

“Getting students engaged in what they want is important for their success,” she said.

Savant said he felt pressure as a student, but it was largely pressure he put on himself. He thought he knew exactly what he wanted to do but ended up changing his courses during his junior year.

 Likewise, Garcia felt pressured to go to college by parents, but he also felt more pressured by himself than others. 

“I knew it would give me a better opportunity in life,” he said. 

He said he appreciates the help of advisors and others along the way, saying that they have made school enjoyable for him. 

However, he said college isn’t necessary for everyone to be successful.

“Motivation and not being afraid to fail are more important,” he said. “But school helps.”