The road one must take to receive a higher education today is filled with many obstacles. Everything that I thought I knew was gone in an instant and I was left isolated, to fend for myself. I felt overwhelmed, lost, and unsure of what the future had in store for me. There are many serious problems a new college student faces, but the most common are self-discipline, financial stress, and independence. .
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One of the first obstacles I ran into when starting college was self-discipline. I had never been expected to learn things completely on my own; this took initiative that I never knew I had. For example, I was expected to know all the material in a given chapter without the instructor lecturing on it. It seemed as if no matter how much drive I had, the workload was overwhelming. I had to want to pass my classes; no one was going to do it for me. I have had my fair share of almost failing a number of courses due to lack of motivation to further my education. When I started to notice what little progress I had been making I somehow found the drive to do things that before I had brushed off or labeled as menial. .
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On top of my struggle with self-discipline was the ever looming topic of financial stress. There was no escaping the cost I would pay for my education. My books were not going to pay for themselves and it always seemed as if it was one thing after another that drained me of any income I had. For example, not only do I have to save enough money for my classes and books, but I have to somehow find the money for hidden expenses such as a parking permit, and school supplies. There is no doubt that college comes with financial struggles, but learning how to deal with the struggles will only make your college journey that much more enjoyable. .
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As my college endeavor continues, I still struggle with the independence I have been given. I have never been faced with so many choices that needed to be attended to in such a short period of time.