Student Life: College days are said to be the most memorable days of one’s life. It’s the time when you have more freedom to explore and experiment with things. But it is also one of the most important phases of one’s life for this is the time when you decide what you want to become in life.
In India where students upon entering college believe that they have grown up their parents still treat them as kids. There are many restrictions still imposed on them for example – the chance of being denied to study the subject they want to. A very famous phrase goes as, ‘In India students first become engineers then decide what they want to do in life’ and it’s quite true. College students in India face a lot of problems that drain them both mentally and physically.
As seen in the recent blockbuster ‘Three Idiots‘ in our society the fate of a child’s career is decided upon right at the moment of their birth. The entire world contemplates the career that would be suitable for you while on the other hand, you still haven’t received a proper name. And right from the moment, you are ready to start school there is but one anthem that you are preaching upon that you are to become a doctor or an engineer or do MBA from the IIMs. In most cases, no one even bothers asking you what your preferences are and what you want to become.
Another interesting fact is that during the school years, the measure of a child’s intelligence is defined by how well he/she can mug up the things taught in class. We used to spend sleepless nights as early as 5th standard students. Why? Simply because the next day was a term exam in social science. But, what of those poor beings who had razor-sharp minds that were more involved in understanding the basics or the concepts behind the topic rather than mugging it up without understanding a word? They were deemed stupid and charged guilty of possessing a brain that couldn’t mug up useless things.
Expectations From Family and Relatives
Relatives are considered to be one of the most irritating elements in a student’s life. They never miss a chance to taunt the students. The interesting feature is that no matter how good you are at something else it doesn’t matter. All that matters is your academic performance. Doesn’t matter how good you are at a sport or an extracurricular or if you want to build a career in a field apart from that of engineering or medicine.
Mess food is not like home cooking
The biggest complaint of those living in hostels and pg’s is the messy food. While the hostel fees and pg rents are skyrocketing the mess food still remains the same as the old bland, tasteless food. Maggi and homemade snacks seem like lifesavers to hostellers and if possible they could spend their entire college life on these two things. Interestingly, the kids who once ran away from home food now crave the very taste of it in college. ‘Maa ke hath ka khana’ is one thing that they look forward to with every trip back home during long vacations.
Part-time jobs
Another major problem faced by Indian students is the high-stress levels that they experience. Between the parents’ expectations and peer pressure, they end up losing their own choices and dreams and fall in line with the crowd. The cut-throat competition to secure a seat in the best colleges across the country leaves many students depressed and dejected, forcing them to resort to the wrong means for comfort. Being constantly monitored and their activities kept track of they become frustrated and lose interest in things soon after starting them.
Student life Relationship problems
Student life relations are considered as fluctuating as you keep on trying and learning new things about relationships. Making and maintaining new relations during your college time in a new place is time-consuming and stressful. It becomes more complicated to cope with a situation when you are kind of an introverted person.
Conclusion–
Education is a country’s lifeline, and it has to be given more importance than defence in any country. There is a dire need for revolutionary changes in India’s education system, not only in the syllabus and pedagogy but also in the attitude towards the test and marks system. India can use its vast human resources productively if the learning system is made effective. As a child is born, it is painted with religion and caste by the cowardly society and is bombarded with all biased thoughts and unruly philosophies.
Every child has unlimited potential and it should be allowed to be free from our ill thoughts. It should be taught to reduce inequality. We can do a lot. But we are not working with the required seriousness. More attention should be paid towards students’ personal life issues which may give them relief. Relatives should refrain from asking students unnecessary questions which give them more stress and anxiety.