The Five Phases of a College Student

Before I begin what I’m writing, I want to let you know that every student who lives the college lifestyle is different. I’m speaking from a traditional college student’s point of view (In other words, it’s the traditional college life style almost a majority of students will go through). Originally, I was going to tie this in with a “book”, but since there were many requests, I’ve shortened it down to write a simple blog without using any type of advice and stories.

There are five phases of a traditional college student….Keep in mind, every student is different, and it doesn’t apply to everyone.

Phase 1: The Pre-Game Phase.
Phase 2: The Party Phase.

Phase 3: The Average Student Phase.

Phase 4: The Semi-Professional Phase.

Phase 5: The Grad Phase.

Phase One: The Pre-Game Phase is where you don’t know much about the college life…YET.  This is where you’re either a senior in high school or perhaps you have just graduated high school. But either or, you should have gotten accepted into the college, or at least  familiar with the college you are about to attend. You fill out your scholarships, you fill out your tuition affairs, you looked at everything that they have to offer. By the time you’re still  in high school, you are expected to do some sort of informal or formal college visit.

Informal College visit: Come on your own as you please. Walk around to become familiar with the campus.

Formal: Appointment set up with a college representative. Meet with the president, vice-president, college dean, and your “major” professors.

So now what? Well by the time summer comes around, you’re excited about leaving your parents. You begin orientation, you attend traditions camp, summer fun warm-up, and of course you have to take that alcohol-EDU.  As a student, you “think” college is just like the movies show. Well…..it kind-of is, but not to much. Some men and woman will utilize this time to figure out what they want to do in college as far as what you want to study. You also look at whether you want to get involved in social clubs, organizations, and Greek organizations. You don’t know much except what people tell until you actually move in on move in day. Welcome to college!! By the time you become a freshman, you’re going to think you will be a big shot….Don’t get your hopes up for that.

Phase Two: The Party Phase is what all college students will be experiencing. This is the stuff most college beginners look forward to (Thanks to the movies). As a student, you’re finally settled in. Some of you have survived band camp, cheer camp, summer sports training, Rush week, and a lot more. You kissed your parents goodbye and now this is where your “grown” status comes into play.  You begin your week as a college freshman and here you are seeing everyone dressed to impressed. Campus is filled with so many great people. You love your professors, you start your first year off very well, and then eventually comes the first weekend of your college career. There are two things that matters the most on Saturdays…Football and Parties. To me, Saturdays can be most overwhelming due to the amount of activity that goes on but will eventually drain all of your energy at the game. Of course, school itself can also drain your energy.  I like to think of parties as a “stress reliever” with friends.  Party goers will go and wander the streets especially since many freshman don’t drive just yet due to living on campus. Party goers will always find someway to crash a party and meet random people. This is the phase where you will meet random people, and perhaps may hook-up with someone….It’s all fun and games, but just be careful at what you get into. Those who are Greek, most of them will actually party every weekend regardless. Because parents aren’t around, alcohol consumption is on the rise. By the time sophomore year comes around, you’re used to it all and it’s not new. However, you are more aware of the environment. The party phase is not just about partying, but it’s the lifestyle of being new to everything that’s around. We get the freedom to do as we want (until something bad happens). This is also where as students, we’re taking the gen-eds. These become the easy and semi-easy classes. We study, we mingle, we have fun. Keep in mind, education is important…. This is only the beginning.

Phase Three: The Average Student Phase is where we tend to focus more so on our education due to the fact our classes have become somewhat challenging. The moment we realize our classes have become challenging is the moment we decide to switch our major. Yeah, it’s normal in this stage….This usually happens within the later part of your sophomore year but it actually starts within the first semester of your junior year. However, the major switch doesn’t necessarily happen until sophomore year. Anyway, this stage is where we are destined to do well in school. We throw aside our party shenanigans and save it for the weekend. This phase isn’t as much fun as your first two phases for some similar reasons

1.     Harder Classes so now you know to get it in gear

2.     Not having the dorm life/student experience

3.     You’re tied down with someone so you decide to chill a lot

4.     Your old buddies you met at the beginning of college will slowly fade apart.

5.     Nothing is new

Do you still go out and party? Oh yeah!! but just not as much. Overall, you can still have a social life, but keep in mind your reputation is slowly but surely starting to take affect.

Phase Four: The Semi-Professional phase happens in your junior year….Just like the last phase, it will slowly tie into this phase. This is the phase where you start becoming that student who is involved and looking at professional resources towards your major, job, life, or perhaps internships. You’re in the phase of being the next “business person”. You’re starting to create a name for yourself in establishing who you are, and what’s your purpose in college. You can still get involved with so much to do. I on the other hand LOVE talking and communicating with students, so I get involved working with many committees. In this phase, you perhaps have taken on a leadership role somewhere in this part of your college career.

Phase Five: The Graduate Phase is basically your end phase of your college career. The stuff that applied in Phase Four is now being geared towards this phase right here. Kiss your social life goodbye… Everything about college is long gone. Your main focus is not only about graduating, but about life. What have you learned throughout your four-five years of college? What habits left you, and what habits stuck with you? What are the things that changed you to this point? Remember this phase isn’t just about graduating, or “age”, but who you are as a person. College is full of experiences that will teach you lessons along the way. So in other words, what was taught then will be applied now. Whatever you’re doing in this phase, keep in mind that your maturity level is set in. Some perhaps look at going into Grad school, and others it all depends on them. In other words, congratulations…. You have made it through the phases.  This phase is where you may have found “The One” as well.

So what does this blog have to do with anything? All I can say is that college is meant to teach you certain life lessons. It will be thrown at you like a baseball, so you just have to be ready at all times.  There will be moments in which you will be happy, there will be moments in which you will cry, and there will also be moments in which you may not succeed at everything you do. Have fun, but NEVER slack off at anything you do. Everyday, every class, and every moment you must always work your best to apply it towards the end. If you don’t, you will be left in the trail, so now you have work twice as hard to keep pushing. You’re at the point to where the real world will come, and it’s also known as the working world. Some of you will have jobs, some careers, and with college, you’re making a name for yourself. Don’t do anything dumb that will jeopardize you as a person. Remember people are ALWAYS judging you. Jobs people are watching you. I’ll leave this where it is for now. In the mean time, I’m not going to go in any detail on further information. Students, do your absolute best in college.

@RonaldAtkinson9