<p>LOL, pizzagirl.
The exact issues that her s doesnt want to participate in are unclear. Tulane is not a school I would consider a school with “hold your hand classes” by any stretch of the imagination, nor is there a push for “one big happy family”. This seems quite askew from the culture there. In fact, many, if not most, wish there was <em>more</em> school spirit. I do wonder what the OP’s son’s concerns are, since apparently he considered transferring after freshman year. It may not have been the right fit for him, for whatever reason, which is fine. But I agree, he should stay. Living off campus is a very different experience. Maybe he’ll be more comfortable this year.</p>
<p>It sounds like his academic advisor isn’t on board with what he wants to accomplish. In my opinion, he should talk with his professors and the department chair in his major. They can help negotiate with advising so he can take the challenging classes he wants. If he’s immersed in challenging academics, he’ll have very little extra time and the other problems will probably fade considerably. Also, the classes the first two years are generally easier than the upper level ones - so that may help. I’d definitely encourage him to continue. Maybe he could spend some of his spare time tutoring other students.</p>
<p>I posted a similar comment in another thread, but I wanted to post in this thread too. I hated college. Every single second for four years. Is that really what we want for our children?</p>
<p>I agree he should be living off campus. My oldest was not into dorms, not into all the on-campus ‘join this club’ type activities and he liked peace and quiet. He “commuted” from his off-campus home (not in the student ghetto) to campus and back and was a much happier person. Alittle bit like DeanJ’s story. My son enjoyed his classes and professors, and he had plenty of friends and liked to do social things, but when he wanted to - he didn’t want people just dropping by and making him feel guilty if he didn’t want to go do something - hence the decision to live in a non-student area. </p>
<p>I’m unclear what “other stuff” he is dealing with and impeding his ability to simply go to and from class other than currently being in a dorm. Hand-holding in our experience seems to disappear shortly after freshman first semester. And if he doesn’t care for his adviser it’s generally at most places pretty easy to switch advisers. I think OP you might want to get him to articulate some more about what is actually bothering him. If it’s just the dorm that is an easy solution.</p>
<p>My kid felt a little like this sophomore year. It turned around considerably Jr year. Is your son planning on traveling abroad? While mine did not, he ended up meeting a lot of new faces in a lot of his class’s absence. You might be dealing with a little sophomore slump… i think it manifests itself in a lot of ways, but definitely an… “is it worth all this?” attitude.</p>
<p>This is an old thread.</p>
<p>Gardenia2, what is your goal in resurrecting old threads about kids who were not happy in college? Twice, you have made reference to this as an issue for “society.” Why? If you were not happy in college, that is unfortunate, but it’s probably between you and your parents. It’s not a societal issue. Most kids who are miserable in college are not forced to stay where they are miserable. I’m sorry that you were.</p>
<p>Rather than digging up an old thread and posting, please use the New Thread button if you want to discuss a topic.</p>