Personal Responsibility and College Success

Personal Responsibility and College Success

Cody Murphy

GEN/200

October 16, 2012

Alyse Stone

Personal Responsibility and College Success

Thesis Statement

Some people believe that they can keep their same routines and successfully complete a college degree. Students must analyze and adjust their personal responsibilities to be successful while attending college.

College success depends on the ability to balance personal responsibilities and academic requirements. Some students do not change current routines while attending college. A student must change routines in daily life to be successful in college. Personal responsibility is the responsibilities and obligations people have to themselves and others. Personal responsibility is the ability for a student to make a positive impact on lives. Personal responsibilities include; physical and mental health awareness, stress management, and maintaining financial obligations. It takes a high level of fitness and determination to succeed in an ever-changing academic world. The students will experience many stressors that will influence their academic outcome. The students need to make financial arrangements to ensure a degree completion. In a recent study published in The Journal of College Admission scholars suggested:

Students drop out of college for a variety of reasons, such as academic failures, personal problems, or changes in career plan. Those who fail to attain a college degree have fewer career opportunities, earn less money and achieve lower financial stability than their peers who completed a degree program (Prevatt, Li, Welles, Festa-Dreher, Yelland, & Lee, 2011, p. 29).

Physical health can play an important part on a student's ability to be successful in college. Students will become exhausted if they are not in proper physical health. "During the first year of college, students are faced with numerous educational and personal stressors which can negatively impact their psychological and physical health" (Hall, Chipperfield, Perry, Ruthig, & Goetz, 2006, p. 189). Fatigue may set in and cause a person to make errors on an important assignment. Low self-esteem can also impact a student's grades and attendance during academic courses.

A student must manage his or her mental health and stress levels to be successful in school. Clear thinking is essential while attending classes. Taking time to meditate allows a student to re-connect with oneself. Students should always be mindful of their mental status. "We find that depression is a significant predictor of lower GPA and higher probability of dropping out, particularly among students who also have a positive screen for an anxiety disorder" (Eisenburg, Golberson, & Hunt, 2009, p. 2). People who do not manage their mental status are more likely to fail academic studies.

Managing stress is another important factor in college success. Students have very demanding schedules and personal responsibilities. "Analysis demonstrated that older students and those who were more satisfied with their physical health reported a higher level of psychological well-being" (Chow, 2010, p. 474). Stress can make a student irritated and frustrated causing the student to rush a report without proof-reading accordingly. Anxiety resulting from too many personal responsibilities should be addressed. Students can manage stress with a logical schedule and proper planning. Successful students organize personal responsibilities and academic requirements. Successful students equip themselves with the proper tools to achieve