Challenges I Experienced During My University Life
Going to university after finishing high school offers all kinds of opportunities that we never had before. With those opportunities, though, can come stress and other problems and challenges. Here are some of the problems that I experienced through my university life and how to cope with them.
By: Haya Anabousi
Choosing a major was the first challenge I faced, there was a lot of pressure to choose a major. It is not easy to fathom that this decision will determine your future career and how much money you will make, making the right decision now feels very important.
I decided to apply to An-Najah National University which was my dream university since childhood, and I enrolled in the University's Faculty of Science for one and a half years, a field I never saw myself going into. However, after careful reflection, I decided to transfer to the Department of Media.
The University is academically challenging since many of the faculty courses require far more studying and memorization than high school courses did. I tried as much as possible to meet the rigorous academic standards at An-Najah.
Shyness was another challenge that I experienced, if you're lucky you'll make many new friends, establish connections and spend time with new friends and classmates. Unfortunately, I was shy and although I’ve gotten much better interacting with people, I still face this challenge.
It took me three and a half years to finish my specialization in the Faculty of Media and I was full of optimism during the last semester because I got close to my dream of graduating and getting a university degree.
Along with choosing a career path, job availability is another issue that caused distress to me as a fresh graduate. The job market is tough, and for graduates without experience, finding a job can be especially difficult.
To prepare for the job market, I started polishing my communications skills by getting involved in several community activities. I also seized integrated learning opportunities to gain valuable work experience and develop and build my skills. I also participated in several training courses and workshops about leadership and voluntary work which helped tremendously to get me on track to employment and overcome my insecurities.
Now, I wish I could just go back in time to seize the countless other opportunities I had during my university experience to enrich my academic and practical experiences and develop my professional and interpersonal skills.
