College Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

College Life - Essay Example Associating with clubs and social activities during college life can be enriching but demanding in terms of time and attention. College student life is an enriching experience as it involves not just exclusive devotion to education but also lifelong learning experience and structures (Huang & Carleton, 2003). Club and social activities are activities that students participate in during their leisure time. Leisure plays a significant role in the modern world although in the past very little attention was given to leisure and leisure activities. College life is the most important part in any person’s life. Leisure activities undertaken during college life, influences students in many areas of life including job and life satisfaction. Studies have shown that there is a significant relationship between leisure participation, leisure satisfaction and life satisfaction. Activities such as participation in social clubs on campus help mould an individual towards handling larger respon sibilities. This stems from the changed mission of colleges and universities as they strive towards holistic development of an individual. Participation in activities during college life falls under extra-curricular activities which plays an integral role in collegiate experience (Tenhouse, 2011). These activities complete the college’s academic curriculum and thereby augment the student’s educational experience. Students get an opportunity to interact with other students apart from class interactions. Students are at their natural when they interact at the social level. Student peers are an important source of influence on the overall development of an individual. It also influences the affective and cognitive development of the student. Participation in clubs and social activities leads to well-rounded development of the individual, which is the principal focus of such activities. Involvement in such activities impact the emotional, intellectual, social and inter-per sonal development of students. Participation stimulates their thinking and analytical skills, enhances their organizational ability. It also helps students to learn to manage conflicts, negotiate and communicate effectively. It fosters team spirit and enhances leadership qualities. They adapt other skills such as time management and academic competence as they also mature socially. It enhances their self-esteem and self-confidence as they gain autonomy and learn to appreciate others’ similarities and differences. As pointed out by Huang and Carleton (2003), participation in social activities and membership in college groups can be enriching. It helps students develop skills specific to their career path which leads to job success. Job success implies job satisfaction and ultimately satisfaction in life. Social activities enable the students to link the academic knowledge with practical experience which helps them understand their own talents and abilities. Experiences of this kind prepare a student for the first job as these reflect in the curriculum vitae and students often receive placements while still on campus. Tenhouse finds that participation in clubs and activities has a positive impact on attaining a bachelor’s degree and on educational aspirations. Such students also develop higher ambitions and aspirations than students who do not involve themselves in extra-curricular activities. Campuses have become diverse and hence students desire