Issues Faced by First Year University Students

It would be very difficult to list all the issues faced by first year university students. However, the assumption is that the principles of leadership serve as important guides, and as I will later try to show, they can be applied to many situations and can be moulded to suit your individuality.

Before we get to what is leadership, let us outline some popular (and perhaps stereotypical) issues that are special to first year students:

- Introduction to a wide range of individuals -- building friendships / acquaintances / support groups

- Living with a roommate

- Belonging to a club

- Working and learning in a group

- Long-distance interactions with your family

- Learning from your professor

- Keeping contact with old high-school friends

Once again, the above issues certainly don’t cover all of the concerns of a first year university student. Even the issues that are listed mean different things to different students. The point is that the issue itself is less important than how the issue is examined. The examination process is personalized as well as specific to your particular situation, and hopefully, it will serve as a tool or a guide that leads you to act in the way that is in synch with who you are. In any case, as I familiarize you on the principles of leadership, I will try to apply the principles to the above issues as often as I can. By showing you examples of how I have employed these principles to help my own transition to university life, I hope that you will get a better understanding of how to use leadership as your own guide.