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Alejandro Anguiano
Professor Vana DerOhanessian
English 114B
8 May 2014
The Life of a College Student
College is a big change in a students life. Students have to get used to a new
environment because it is a new school, new people, and ultimately a new lifestyle. The main
reason college is different from high school is because it is the first time students have to be
independent, and learn to start doing things on their own. According to the Oxford English
Dictionary, independent is defined as self-governing, autonomous, free. This means that
students are held to some responsibilities as college students such as getting to class on time to
pass their classes and being able to support themselves financially since most students tend to not
live with their parents anymore. A college student must focus on their responsibilities, and a big
part of these responsibilities is being independent because it is a great skill to have at all times.
Being independent is important when you have to maintain yourself financially in while
attending college. Students have to know how they are going to earn their money and how to
manage that money for they do not spend it all at once. It might be hard to go to school and work
at the same time especially if it is their first job, but these are some things that students can do to
help them financially. For example, most students apply for financial aid which is where the
government helps them pay off their school tuition depending on their income. Receiving
financial aid helps reduce the costs for college, and also help you do work study, which is where
students can get part time jobs off or on campus to help them financially. The website
student.aid.gov gives an explanation of what work study is and also gives helpful information
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such as what kind of jobs are available and how much money students will earn as a student
employee. However, all this is not just given to students because they have to be responsible
enough to fill out the applications and ask for help if needed. It all depends on how dedicated and
autonomous they are to get this done.
In the Oxford English Dictionary, responsibility is defined as Capability of fulfilling an
obligation or duty. Responsible college students have an obligation to pass their classes. This
means they have to show up to class, be on time, pay attention, and complete the work that is
given. It sounds exactly the same as high school, but the difference is that as a college student
you do not feel so stressed because you have more freedom. For example, a professor can give
you many homework assignments, but make it due in three weeks which gives you time to work
on it. As a college student however, we have the freedom to start as soon as possible or
procrastinate as many students chooses to do. An article from collegeexpress.com states that by
being a responsible college student you can find an interest in something you might have never
thought you would have, or possibly find a new hobby. It is good to find a new hobby or interest
in college because college is all about figuring out what you want to do in life and help students
practice their talents to get them to their goals. Independence can be a great thing when used
right, but can also make a person think of how much freedom they have and have them make bad
decisions.
Sometimes too much independence can be a problem for college students. This is why we
have to manage our priorities from the most to least important. During college there are many
distractions since so much can be going on. One of the most common events that happen during
college is parties that happen on or off campus. This catches the attention of many students
because they see it as taking a break from school work or just want to have fun. Since they are
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independent they have no one to make sure they are doing their work and that can cause students
to fall into the temptation of other fun activities with friends or events on campus. Students may
say that they will just do the work later, but most of the time the party will end late, students will
be too tired, or will be hung over from the drinking of alcohol done at the party. In a research
article from the Bio Med Central Public Health it was stated that more than 40% of students
aged 17-30 having drunk heavily in the U.S.A. This quote shows the great amount of influence
that alcohol has on college students and can distract them from their responsibilities as a student.
Independence can give students too much freedom, but this just shows that when being a college
student we must responsible enough to manage our work and have it completed. The fun comes
after we are done with our work.
Some people might say that students need a break when under all the pressure of
schoolwork and work out of school. I agree with that statement, but it does not mean that
students have to go party or lose track of time. I think when the student takes a break it should be
for a little bit of time. If they lose track of time then that means they are not fulfilling their
obligations as a student. Sometimes taking a break is an excuse to not work the assignment. In
other words, students are not looking for breaks, but rather trying to escape from their student
responsibilities.
Being independent means you are being self-governing and taking matters into your own
hands. Independence and responsibility can help you focus on schoolwork and learn to support
yourself financially. These qualities help you discover new hobbies and gain new skills such as
managing money. It can also cause us to be distracted because of the freedom there is, but with
the right management skills, that can be changed. When it comes to being self-reliant and
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responsible, it greatly depends on how much work we are willing to do to get the job done and
done right.





















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Works Cited
Federal Work-Study Jobs Help Students Earn Money to Pay for College or Career School.
Work-Study Jobs. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.
"Independent." Oxford English Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.
Lorant, Vincent, Pablo Nicaise, Victoria E. Soto, and Wiliiam D'hoore. "Alcohol Drinking
among College Students: College Responsibility for Personal Troubles." (n.d.): n. pag.
EBSCOhost. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.
Milone, Michael. "The Word Is "Responsibility"" CollegeXpress: Scholarships, College Search,
Rankings and Lists. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.
"Responsibility." Oxford English Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.