This isn’t necessarily a thread on struggling academically at a community college, but more so for other students who are feeling stunted at a CC. Having friends leave for college and have the best times of their lives while I live at home sucks, and I’m sure many other CC students are also counting down the days until they can transfer to a four-year.
I’m just looking to find some people who feel similarly. I stay super busy in student gov, get good grades, volunteer at NPOs and work a job, so filling my schedule is how I try to pass time. I still feel as if it is taking forever for me to finally be where I worked so hard to be in high school… It’s just the money barrier that held me back from attending a four-year.
Anyone else feel the same? How do you all combat the feeling of being behind as a CC student?
Not a student, but have a daughter who did cc for a 5 semester program. She did live at cc instead of at home which was good (more of the college experience, gained more independence) and bad (had to pay rent, had a bad suitemate, missed her cats and family).
Your friends are not necessarily having “the best times of their lives”. Maybe they are, but going away to a 4 year school is not the magic bullet for happiness- look at all of the no friends/miserable/homesick posts that regularly appear on the College Life forum. Many of us on CC wish to dispel the notion that these 32 months of classes are supposed to be the best times of your life (and therefore worth hocking your future). It’s just another time in your life, with good and bad like all the others. Good for you keeping busy, being involved, and making connections, that’s great!
DD made great friends and finished with no debt and a nice chunk of money still in the bank. It’s now allowing her the freedom to work on starting her own business without looming loans. Many of her friends at 4-years have spent time at our house lamenting their tuition bills.
So her suggestion to combat your feelings would be to think of all the money you are saving. When 8 semesters of college are over you will have more money to live the life you want while some of your peers will be struggling with their student loans and stunting their adult life for many more years.
Don’t be fooled by the facade. If your friends are having the time of their lives, their grades suck. You’d have to be either a super genius or cheating in order to party like that and maintain a 4.0 GPA. Traditional university life is full of distractions and kids, especially freshmen have trouble saying no. When your friends send you pictures of all the “fun” stuff they’re doing, just ignore them.
Why not shorten your time at the cc?
Our cc (Sacramento City College) has 7 semesters per year (Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters each offer 2 eight week class option, then there is a 5 week Winter “intercession” semester). Consider taking classes in each semester (cut down on some other activities to free up needed time) and transfer sooner.
I have never gone to CC except for taking some CC classes in high school but I think you should experience your CC to the max. Working a lot is a good opportunity. Think about it like this you are saving a lot of money and you can get a great job too.
I went to community college when my friends went away to have the experience of their lives. Well a few semesters later some of those who went away just happened to show up attending my community college. I guess that spoke volumes for them having the time of their lives. I later graduated and moved on to a 4 year college but was still a commuter. In the end my degrees were worth just as much as theirs.
I’m currently at community college right now for the exact same reasons as you. I couldn’t afford my dream school even though I got in. I’ll admit, the first semester I just went to class, went home, and only talked to people in class but never outside of class. After that first semester I joined other clubs that interested me and found people of like minds who became friends. My advice is that the more you put yourself out there, the more you will gain. Maybe join a club that you like (if you’re a gamer, join a gaming club), or talk to people in your classes and just try to make a friend. Some people are just there to go to class and leave, but not everyone is. You won’t enjoy community college if you’re in the mindset that a 4 year college is inherently better. I don’t think community college will ever be the same as a 4 year college, but you can still make friends, make memories like you would at a 4 year college. Don’t forget that you will experience going to parties, having a roommate, etc. eventually.
I decided to withdraw from my 50k/ year private college a week after I moved into my dorm. I didn’t belong there.
I would be unable to have the immersive college campus, experience of being social and studying. If I had to work the amount I NEEDED to work to sustain myself I would have zero time for anything. I think it’s crazy that young people can commit to potentially crippling college debt YET. We can’t even rent a car.
I did the math, and I would run out of money. I tried talking to people, but they can’t relate because their parents pay for their expenses( overwhelmingly so). I’m going to community college, at least for the next two years. To the older people that say, " I worked and went to school, “ I say that was probably much easier in the 70s when it was cheaper. There is still a bit of stigma with CC as people say " oh you’re smarter than cc” I say are you paying my bills? I don’t want to be a asking for student loan forgiveness in 5 years.
Good for you to get out of the debt cycle before it was too late! Do great at cc, then find a reasonably priced 4 year to finish. I posted above about my DD’17’s experience- she encountered just a couple of people who turned up their nose at her going to cc which cowed her at first but then she started responding with confidence about how she was looking forward to going, and saving money. Honestly I think she started a trend at our HS going to this particular cc (it’s further from here but in a much nicer city than the local one). Several kids from each grade have now gone there (including ones that tried an expensive 4 year first!).
and you can get a great job too.
I say that was probably much easier in the 70s when it was cheaper. There is still a bit of stigma with CC as people say " oh you’re smarter than cc” I say are you paying my bills? I don’t want to be a 
asking for student loan forgiveness in 5 years.