Life At University Is Not The Way It Seems

There are many expectations around the prospect of studying at the university and life at the university in general. It is a good idea to analyze them and compare them with how things really are.

We have not always associated certain popular ideas with the university world. This is not surprising either, as life at the university is perceived in many different ways. In fact, there are no two identical testimonies of personal experiences of going to university.

Going to university to get a degree is a choice that most people consider from a fairly young age. Because of this, it is a good idea to analyze the expectations most people have to see if they still reflect today’s society.

Expectations about life at the university

Times are constantly changing, but the idea of ​​going to university actually still inspires thousands of mini-advertising campaigns throughout our childhood. These come to us through teachers, relatives and other influential people in our lives. They tell us that going to university to get a degree is the best thing we can do to get security and stability in the future.

But the different ideas of studying at university are no longer the same. This is due to the many social changes over the years, especially in the job market. But despite this, there are still expectations associated with studying to get a degree: 

Job opportunities

It is very common to think that having a degree will make our job opportunities greater than for those who have upper secondary education or have specialized in a similar field.

Of course, each degree has different opportunities that will give people a certain advantage in the job market. But the belief that having a bachelor’s degree (whichever) will give us benefits only because we consider it a higher qualification is a belief that does not coincide with the realities of academic life and working life.

Life at the university is about partying

Universities and parties are two areas that tend to go hand in hand in most perceptions. American influence on the lives of students is the fuel for this expectation.

In many American TV series and movies, we see how life at the university has become a philosophy with countless rules, rituals and norms. The United States is very unique in this philosophy of university life, and universities in Europe tend not to be the same in this regard.

Intellectual growth

The expectation that if you go to university, you will automatically become a very intelligent person, is also a broad perception. Unfortunately, cultivating your mind and intellect has more to do with your personal attitude than with the intellectual stimulation that a degree usually offers.

Life at the university corresponds to independence

We often associate university life with the wonderful freedom and independence it gives us. When one leaves one’s hometown to do this, the resulting freedom is even greater. This specific expectation is usually true, at least when it comes to daily activities.

But it is not the same freedom when it comes to studies. Attendance is often mandatory at the university, regardless of whether the professor decides to “see another way”.

What do you get out of life at university?

Whatever your expectations are, life at university is a short, but important, stage of your life. If you decide on this path, you will learn a lot. But you will learn even more important lessons outside the classroom.  

One of the most beautiful things about life at university is being able to share time and socialize with people you would never have imagined meeting. Many of them will teach you a lot about life. You will hear their opinions, debate with them, and have deep, but sincere, conversations. These people are what you really take with you when you leave university.

Of course, many of these people end up as your faithful friends, while others are people you like to follow the progression of. There will also be those to whom you barely say a few words.

Well, believe it or not, but you will remember them all, even the latter. You will remember the shy boy who always greeted you with a smile or the young woman who sat right behind you that you never got to know.

There is one thing that university life will offer you more than the friendships themselves: A beautiful sense of nostalgia! University can be a truly memorable part of your life, which you will always want with you.