There is one common denominator that dictates the success of every single college student. Of course one’s intellect plays an important role, but in college, there is one thing that separates successful college students from unsuccessful students. Discipline and determination are the driving forces toward students succeeding and making it to graduation.
I am in no way trying to say that intellect isn’t a necessary tool to have en route to a degree. Intelligence and a student’s capacity to learn are vital in one’s quest for higher education.
What I am saying is that a student who may not be that intellectually gifted but who is filled with drive and determination has a better chance at success than a student with higher intellect and no determination and will.
College puts students’ self-discipline and motivation to the ultimate test. And part of what makes the test so hard is the curriculum, but the massive amount of freedom that students are being provided for the first time in their lives makes it challenging, too.
During high school, teachers were there to make sure students were constantly doing their best. Teachers assigned homework and checked it daily, which kept students on their toes.
Teachers took attendance every single day in every single class and if a student did miss a class, teachers called parents to ensure it didn’t happen often.
College on the other hand, is a whole different story. If a student doesn’t do his homework, there isn’t a teacher scolding you or giving you detention. The only scolding will be done in the grade book at the end of the semester. If a student doesn’t go to class in college, there will be no calls to mommy and daddy. Missing important information for exams and a failing attendance grade are punishment enough.
There is also a huge difference between college students who live in the dorms and the ones who don’t. Many students don’t live at home while attending college, which can make for some big changes in their daily routine. In a nutshell, there are no more curfews, no more bedtime, no more checking homework, and no more constant guidance.
The freedom given by faculty and parents to students is exactly what makes discipline and determination so important. The biggest tests during college aren’t the ones on paper, but the ones that test a student’s ability to stay focused. Students who couldn’t resist the urge to ditch class or party the night before a big exam fail countless classes.
Throughout a students’ collegiate career, the adjustment from being constantly told what to do, to making tons of decisions on their own is definitely a difficult one.
I believe the importance and weight of self-discipline should be something more known before entering college. It is integral to students’ college completion, and finally being able to throw that graduation cap in the air.
Lawrence Maybir is a senior journalism major and a contributing writer for the Daily 49er.
