Challenges Faced by Students Starting University Studies

This report discusses the range of issues and difficulties faced by students when starting their studies at university level. It provides recommendations to overcome these challenges.

Individual Report

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................3
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...................................................................................................4
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Study is determined as the essential part of every person’s life. For attaining higher
education, individual often move to Universities in order to enhance their knowledge and skill so
that they can attain success in the near future (Musingafi and et. al., 2015). Studying at university
can be seen as the difficult part for every student as they faces range issues associated with the
management of time, work, family, finances etc. while completion of their tenure. This present
report provides description on the range of issues as well as difficulties that are faced by students
while starting their studies at university level. It will further provide few recommendations to
students that will support them in overcoming these challenges.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is determined as the essential part of every study as it provides detailed
information on the particular topic with the perception of several authors or writers. In context of
present report, this section will provide detailed knowledge on the issues and challenges faced by
students while starting their study at university level. It will also include detailed knowledge on
how these challenges are placing impact over their studying pattern and their career too.
On the basis of views expressed by DuBose, (2017), it can be a student who starts their
further studies at university level faces different issues and challenges that place higher influence
over learning process. As per the views expressed by this author main challenge that is being
faced by students is management of adequate finances. It can be said that learning at university
level is also seen as the expensive process which directly place influence over the learning of
individual. This is so because, when any student starts learning at university level then he/ she
would be requiring adequate funding too so that each and every requirement of university
coursework could be fulfilled in timely manner. This becomes major challenge for the students
as if they do not have availability of funding then it won’t be possible for them to complete their
studies (Tshotsho, Cekiso and Mumbembe, 2015). On the other hand, another issue related to the
studying at university is time management. This is so because, every student has their own
priorities and life pattern this simply means that when these students starts learning at university
level then it becomes major challenge for them to give priority to each and every activity which
is the part of their study as well as personal life pattern. Furthermore, students’ university life is
quite hectic as they have to perform range of activities in the course of time only. It has been

further analysed that students also gets lots of assignments, project and many other work related
to their learning pattern that simply provided them support in enhancing chances of success in
the near future.
In addition to this, it is highly important for every student to provide equivalent time to
the study as well as their personal as well as social life too. This includes parent, friends,
relatives, neighbours and other associated people. When student starts studying at university
level then it becomes difficult for them to give adequate level of time to their family, friends and
other people in accordance to the university assignments and other work (Parker and et. al.,
2017). It becomes more difficult for the student to bring time for themselves too while giving
time to each and every activity. It can be further said that if the individual indulges into the study
then it becomes difficult for them to take required time for their family members as they are not
able to communicate to them. While, if it is talked about friends it can be said that students here
personally wants to spend more time with their friends but due to many reasons they can even
spend required time with the friends too. This becomes major challenge for the students while
starting study at university level. The overall influence of these challenges can be seen on the
students learning pattern as well as career growth. In addition to this, it can be said that the
students who are not able to tackle these challenges gets affected in their learning pattern.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
By analysing overall information specified in the literature review section, it can be said that
every students faces numerous of challenges when they starts studying at university level for
their future studies. Time management is determined as the major issue which places influential
affect over the overall learning process of the student. It has been further analysed that if the
student is not able to manage time then it would not be possible for the student to achieve their
predetermined goals and objectives (Akanwa, 2015) In addition to this, ineffective time
management also creates range of problem in every students life that means that they bifurcate
their time among studies, family and friends which ultimately places impact over their balancing.
Apart from this, it can be further said that it is highly important for every student to maintain the
balance between learning life and their family life. This is so because, University learning helps
student in enhancing their skills, knowledge and development. Whereas, learning gained from
family and friends provide individual in living their life in more appropriate and satisfactory
manner (Gribble, Blackmore and Rahimi, 2015).

Apart from this, finance are acknowledged as the another influential challenge that
basically faced by students while starting their studies at university. It’s difficult for the students
to make manage their expenses at college level. In this case, students are basically required to
focus on finding out appropriate sources from where they can effectively arrange funds and
complete their studies at university level without facing mush issues.
RECOMMENDATIONS
According to the overall information specified in the report from the literature review
section and analysis, it has been analysed that students’ access range of issues while starting their
studies at university. These challenges are mainly related to the time management, finances,
managing adequate balance between learning and personal life balance. In order to overcome
these challenges few recommendations are provided in the below section in detailed manner:
 At first, it is recommended to students to go for scholarship and educational loans
provide banks in order to complete their study without facing issues related to
funding. Apart from this, here students can also go for the part time jobs from where
they are earn adequate amount of money that could be used by them for managing
other expenses at university studying (Semali and Vumilia, 2016). This will help the
students in tackling the situation related to the money and also help them out in
effectively completing their studies and making them independent.
 At next, it is recommended to students to develop an effective time management plan
for themselves. This time management plan includes adequate amount of timing for
each and every activity which mandatory for themselves such as studying time,
assignments, college hours, friends, family and others. It can be said that
development of this plan helps student in completing their each and every work in
the timely manner. Along with this, it also provides them guidance that how they can
effectively provide equivalent time to each and every work and maintain effective
balance among all work. Here, students are also suggested to communicate with their
superiors and tutors at regular basis so that they can easily develop rightful time
management plan in their guidance.
 Furthermore, students are also suggested to communicate with their parents at least
once in a day so that they can remain in touch with them also have appropriate
knowledge about the things which are going on in their family. Also, the students are

also suggested to make new friends at university level with whom they can
communicate at regular basis (Bayar, 2016). Along with this, it can be further said
that friends at the same college are also good for students as they will provide them
support in developing effective mental and emotional stability with the support of
one another which leads to attainment of success in college and personal life too in
the near future.
By following above specified recommendations students can easily overcome all of the
challenges which are faced by them when starting studying at university. This will also provide
them support in attaining success in the quicker manner.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned information, it is concluded that students mainly face funding,
time, study and family life balance and many other kind of issues which directly place higher
impact over their growth. It has been further identified that students can easily deal with these
issues by communicating with their superiors, teachers and mentors who effective provide them
adequate guidance on the ways through which these can be eliminated. Along with this, it can be
further said that students can also handle similar kind of issues by developing effective plan in
which timing for each and every activity is mentioned according to their priorities.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Musingafi, M.C., Mapuranga, B., Chiwanza, K. and Zebron, S., 2015. Challenges for open and
distance learning (ODL) students: Experiences from students of the Zimbabwe Open
University. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(18), pp.59-66.
DuBose, C.O., 2017. But I don’t understand you: one faculty’s observations of the challenges
facing international healthcare students. Journal of International Students, 7(1),
pp.154-159.
Tshotsho, B., Cekiso, M. and Mumbembe, L., 2015. English language grammar challenges
facing Congolese international students in South Africa. International Journal of
Educational Sciences, 9(1), pp.73-79.
Parker, H., Hughes, A., Marsh, C., Ahmed, S., Cannon, J., Taylor-Steeds, E., Jones, L. and Page,
N., 2017. Understanding the different challenges facing students in transitioning to
university particularly with a focus on ethnicity. New Directions in the Teaching of
Physical Sciences, 12.
Akanwa, E.E., 2015. International students in western developed countries: History, challenges,
and prospects. Journal of International Students, 5(3), pp.271-284.
Semali, L.M. and Vumilia, P.L., 2016. Challenges Facing Teachers' Attempts to Enhance
Learners' Discipline in Tanzania's Secondary Schools. World Journal of
Education, 6(1), pp.50-67.
Bayar, A., 2016. Challenges Facing Principals in the First Year at Their Schools. Universal
Journal of Educational Research, 4(1), pp.192-199.
Gribble, C., Blackmore, J. and Rahimi, M., 2015. Challenges to providing work integrated
learning to international business students at Australian universities. Higher
education, skills and workbased learning, 5(4), pp.401-416.