What Is The “College Experience” Anyway?
The words “college experience” dance through the heads of high school students everywhere. They hear about how important it is to not only attend college but to also enjoy the time that they spend there. After all, it’s not enough to get a higher education, they also must have the entire college experience as well. But what do those words mean? Let’s break it down so that their meaning is clear, and you know exactly what to expect.
Attending Classes on Campus
The most obvious part of the college experience involves going to class. Students need to attend their lectures and go to their required labs in order to get the education that they’re paying for. This is an important part of the college experience, as is choosing those classes and putting together a schedule, not to mention doing all of the reading, writing, and other required homework. It simply isn’t college without the coursework.
Eating in the Cafeteria
Jokes about a school’s cafeteria food run rampant, but not every college has bad food! Whether the meals consist of healthy options served in an “all you can eat” type of setting, or everyone gets one meal of their choice from a select number of options, spending time with their fellow students in the cafeteria is a crucial part of college life – almost as important as living in a dorm.
Hanging Out with Friends in the Dorms
There’s nothing quite like dorm life. Living in close quarters with others, spending time studying, hanging out, and having fun… bonding with one another. It seems as though the word “college” is synonymous with “dorms.” Whether you choose to live in a single-gender dorm, a co-ed one, or prefer a student apartment on campus, cohabitating in a dorm is a very important part of the college experience.
Joining in on Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular activities are another important part of the college experience. Students have the choice to join one of many different types of school activities, from clubs dedicated to the written word, to getting some practice in for a future career in the school radio or television station. There are things like Greek life, where students get a chance to bond with one another, as well as many off-campus school-sanctioned activities, like attending movies, going to sporting events, and even traveling to other cities in order to enjoy a cultural event or two.
Getting a Taste of the College Experience – Before Graduating High School
If high schoolers really want to see what college is all about – and get a small taste of that “college experience” then a pre-college summer program is the best solution. These programs, like the ones at Dean College, are held over a two-week period during the summer and allow students to attend lectures, bond with their fellow students in the dorms and cafeteria, and even attend extracurricular events. Plus, they can even earn college credits, which sets them up nicely for when they enroll in the university of their choice.