There is a shift that happens when you move from high school to college. After having become used to walking a certain life path for 12 or 13 years, a change in structure can feel quite confusing. From choosing a major, to making new friends and starting to pursue a career, one is forced to assume a new identity in many ways. At the same time, we are challenged to increasingly individualize and define ourselves in ways that differs significantly from our peers.
College: Becoming an individual
There is a shift that happens when you move from high school to college. After having become used to walking a certain life path for 12 or 13 years, a ...
Dec 5, 2015
There is a shift that happens when you move from high school to college. After having become used to walking a certain life path for 12 or 13 years, a change in structure can feel quite confusing. From choosing a major, to making new friends and starting to pursue a career, one is forced to assume a new identity in many ways. At the same time, we are challenged to increasingly individualize and define ourselves in ways that differs significantly from our peers.
For some students, the shift from high school to university has not been as easy as expected. Sophomore Vishwanath Chandrasekar said he thought it would be simple to make new friends and move on from his old life, as he was done with school and excited about college.
“But later on, it hit me that it wouldn’t be the same, both making my own decisions and living a very different life, without friends from [my previous] school who meant the world to me,” he said.
The attachment to a certain manner of living can be difficult to sever. With so many new stimuli to take in during college, there are a lot of mental processes that occur in becoming more autonomous and responsible. Entering the European university system at a Bachelor’s level, when one is often required to choose an academic pursuit and consequent career path, can be like quickly ripping off the bandaid.
On the other hand, the choice between different subjects in the U.S. American liberal arts system — and also the Core curriculum in NYU Abu Dhabi’s case — can induce confusion. At some point, however, one must settle on a major, and possibly one or two concentrations.
Yet there is also a transition in social roles.
“I come from a small town where there were only 80 kids in my class. Since we all knew each other, I [was] kind of boxed into a new identity early on,” said Murphy. “Yet here, where I don’t know the same people, it’s been an opportunity to get to know myself.”
From the social standpoint, some also find it unsettling to suddenly be leading such different lives from friends back home.
Completely different classes, professors and requirements as well as shifting ideas of life after college encourage students to pursue a somewhat self-centered daily set of activities. Suddenly, it has become extremely important to focus on choices and how they shape our individuality.
It is tempting to assume that we have to completely figure out what makes us tick in college. Choosing a major, internship or co-curricular activity can mean choosing the thought structures and topics that suit our minds the best.
But there is also a certain satisfaction in prioritizing, settling and narrowing down. After being sent in so many different directions, and having gained a basic understanding of various subject areas, it is rewarding to develop one or two particular areas that intuitively vibe with us.
The college phenomenon of transitioning from childhood to adulthood sparks a sense of individualism. Despite the daunting growth of our own passions, we can nevertheless come together to share this discovery.
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