Uncertain Times
Enlightenment
doesn’t come easily to students
By Tristan Vawters
The Shorthorn
Assistant News Editor
Angelela Roberts is a little anxious.
The biology sophomore is stressed because she’s not sure
if she wants to continue pursuing her major.
“My major is biology right now, but really I don’t want
to do it,” she said. “I want to change it, but I don’t know what I want to
change it to.”
Roberts has put some pressure on herself because of her
role in her family.
“I don’t get pressure from my parents or anyone, but I’m
the oldest, and I have to set an example,” she said. “It’s a heavy burden.”
According to Colorado-based author Jason Steinle, who recently wrote Uploading Experience, Roberts
is not alone. Steinle has spent the past four years
researching how students can cope with pressure and eventually find their niche
in life. The book states how students of all ages deal with life during and
after college.
“The truth is, as I’ve interviewed people in their 40s,
50s and 60s plus, they are facing the same questions as students are, such as,
‘Who am I?’ ‘What is my purpose?’ ‘Where do I find Mr. or Ms. Right?’ ” he said. “The difference is that older generations are more
comfortable with the uncertainty of not knowing what the next step will be.”
Steinle believes that students ages 18 through 25, or “quarterlifers,” have many choices that cause them to be
distressed.
“As quarterlifers, we are faced
with so many decisions that we get overwhelmed,” he said. “We don’t have a firm
foundation established, and the chaos creates fear and anxiety. We want
reassurance and something that stays constant in the midst of all change.”
Shirley Binder, special assistant to the graduate affairs
dean, said that it may be difficult for students to get a job, but there are
more options available for young people now.
“When I was that age, the only careers
open to women were being a secretary, teacher or marriage,” she said.
Binder thinks that being in college and getting ready to
graduate can be the most exciting part of your life, but it can be the
scariest.
“It’s scary, but I’ve been through a lot of scary times
in my life, but that’s living,” she said. “My advice for students is to be
willing to take on something challenging when you’re not sure you’re ready for
it. Try to learn and do things as fast as you can.”