Academics

Need to study for a mid-term exam or finish a term paper? Get ready to burn the midnight oil -- and the early-morning oil! "Late in college means 3-4 a.m. not 10-11 p.m." says Hemmila.

Carlson agrees. "With other obligations, like work and social things, studying until 3 a.m. is not unusual." Yet she was surprised at her stamina. "I've stayed up 48, even 72 hours studying -- thanks to coffee and willpower. Staying up isn't that hard. The difficult part is keeping everything in your brain."

Another common surprise is the vast amount of reading college requires: 50-60 pages a night -- per class! Hemmila was surprised he didn't get a detention when he skipped a class. But he still paid the tuition for that skipped class.

The number of distractions that keep students from their studies catches many off guard, explains Nathan Seibel, a resident director. Thus students are surprised to realize their education needs to include personal discipline and time management.

"There is never enough time," realizes Katie Dean, a business major. "I can't be involved in everything like in high school, and even a part-time job is hard with a full load."

Paul Bradley, dean of residence life at Northwestern College, says freshmen usually find they have more homework than expected and finals are more difficult. "They're surprised because they get fewer directives from professors on how to study and what to study."

Courtesy of ARA Content

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