Struggles of College Students
Alexa Ferris
English 102
Ms. Jones
April 10, 2012
Struggles of College Students
A college student taking their first few steps onto a college campus is the day when they can finally feel the independence they were longing for. College is a place where students can find themselves. It can be a place for success as well as a place for partying. Attending college comes with many struggles. College tests every individual by staying above the influence, becoming a more organized student, and even making them step out of their comfort zone.
When a student enters the college world, they are faced with the struggle of peer pressure. This pressure may include alcohol and drug abuse. Staying above the influence is hard to do when pressured into going out with new friends, or even joining a fraternity or sorority. For example, many fraternities practice pledging to be accepted into their family. The presidents of the fraternities may force the pledges do good or bad things they may or may not necessarily want to do. This is called hazing. Hazing is illegal in many states due to its inhumane acts. A night of hazing went wrong for innocent student and fraternity member Matthew Carrington of Chico State University, California in 2005. Carrington and his friend both were forced while at a party by junior Chi Tau members to drink a five-gallon jug of water until they had urinated themselves and puked. Carrington started to have a seizure due to swelling of his brain and lungs caused by water intoxication. Within five minutes of being at the hospital, Carrington’s heart had stopped. His parents were traumatized when they found out about their son’s death. A Chico State University junior and member of Sigma Pi said, “We're still dealing with it. Everybody's still kind of haunted by it” (Korry). This is one of the peer pressures a college student may struggle with. Students may also be pressured into binge drinking. 43.1 percent of college students reported binge drinking in the
English 102
Ms. Jones
April 10, 2012
Struggles of College Students
A college student taking their first few steps onto a college campus is the day when they can finally feel the independence they were longing for. College is a place where students can find themselves. It can be a place for success as well as a place for partying. Attending college comes with many struggles. College tests every individual by staying above the influence, becoming a more organized student, and even making them step out of their comfort zone.
When a student enters the college world, they are faced with the struggle of peer pressure. This pressure may include alcohol and drug abuse. Staying above the influence is hard to do when pressured into going out with new friends, or even joining a fraternity or sorority. For example, many fraternities practice pledging to be accepted into their family. The presidents of the fraternities may force the pledges do good or bad things they may or may not necessarily want to do. This is called hazing. Hazing is illegal in many states due to its inhumane acts. A night of hazing went wrong for innocent student and fraternity member Matthew Carrington of Chico State University, California in 2005. Carrington and his friend both were forced while at a party by junior Chi Tau members to drink a five-gallon jug of water until they had urinated themselves and puked. Carrington started to have a seizure due to swelling of his brain and lungs caused by water intoxication. Within five minutes of being at the hospital, Carrington’s heart had stopped. His parents were traumatized when they found out about their son’s death. A Chico State University junior and member of Sigma Pi said, “We're still dealing with it. Everybody's still kind of haunted by it” (Korry). This is one of the peer pressures a college student may struggle with. Students may also be pressured into binge drinking. 43.1 percent of college students reported binge drinking in the