The Daily Grind: Is College Boring and What Can You Do About It

According to a survey on Linkedin, 55% of undergraduate students and 38% of graduate students have trouble staying interested in their classes.

With the majority of those who are striving to earn a bachelor’s degree sharing the very same sentiment, is higher education a really boring phase in one’s academic career?

In general, college can be boring for students who picked the wrong college and major, which is why the importance of going to the best-fit school cannot be stressed enough. In some instances, pursuing an undergraduate degree can be tedious because the student personally feels that traditional college is not the way to go.

The thought of you having to attend classes, do assignments and take exams for the next 4 to 6 years of your life leaving you feeling miserable?

Then don’t stop reading now.

Below, we will talk about some of the reasons why college is boring.

You will also come across some tips on how to make working on a bachelor’s degree less boring as well as some exciting alternatives to traditional college that you might find is a much better option for you.

Four Main Reasons Why College is Boring for Some

There are many reasons why attending college is like watching paint dry semester after semester. In some instances, it’s the unexciting campus culture to blame, while other times it’s because of the choices the college students themselves make.

Either way, being bored to death in college can make it extremely challenging to stay long enough to earn a degree.

Here are some of the main reasons for having a tedious college life:

Entering college undecided

No matter if you are undecided as to which undergraduate degree program is best for you or whether or not you are certain that traditional college is the right path for you, it’s not unlikely for you to feel that college is dreary.

There are cases when taking a gap year is a much better idea than attending college unsure.

Read Also: How to Pick a College Major

Attending the wrong college

Even if going to college is the right step to take after graduating from high school, it means nothing if you end up attending an institution where you don’t fit in. Needless to say, not going to the best-fit college can have serious repercussions.

Taking too easy or too hard classes

Whether the college classes you are attending day after day are too easy or too difficult, the fact remains that it can leave you feeling like you’re in the wrong place — you might end up wondering if you are better off busy with any of the various alternatives to traditional college, which we will talk about shortly.

Read Also: Worst Colleges for Introverts

Being withdrawn

There are times when it’s the personality traits or qualities of a student that can make college lack the excitement that it promises. Someone who is introverted, shy or lacking in self-confidence, for instance, may find it sucky to be an undergraduate.

How to Make College Exciting

Sometimes, making college exciting begins during the college application season or by the end of the sophomore year of college when everyone has to declare a major.

But there are times, too, when carefully choosing classes, on-campus activities and individuals to hang out with can make working on an undergraduate degree highly enjoyable.

Let’s take a look at some of the things students to make college feel less boring:

Find the right college

While there’s a deadline to beat when applying to college, it’s of utmost importance for high schoolers to take their time when deciding which institutions to shortlist.

To find the best-fit college community, it is recommended to take into account 4 factors: academics, campus culture, career services and financial aid.

Declare the right major

Students must also select a major wisely. Some of the things to consider when choosing are the student’s personality and interests as well as the associated costs and the career paths to which the discipline could lead.

But there’s no need to fret as majors are usually not declared until the end of the sophomore year of college. Also, switching majors is always a possibility.

Join clubs and organizations

In high school, students partake in extracurriculars to get into selective colleges. In college, doing so is good not only for networking opportunities but also to allow for a more enjoyable and well-rounded college experience.

Utilize campus facilities

The vast majority of colleges and universities have facilities that students can take advantage of for various purposes, ranging from improving their academic performance, getting ripped to making new friends.

Besides, utilizing them allows undergraduates to make the most out of their tuition and fees as access to them is covered by those.

Make friends with the right people

Speaking of friends, there’s no denying that being in the company of the wrong people on campus can make college boring.

Non-Boring Alternatives to College

Can’t seem to make college fun and exciting no matter what you do? Perhaps it’s not the school you are attending or what you are doing or not doing that’s the problem — it could be that traditional college is not right for you.

Needless to say, the way to save yourself from boredom is to take a different route toward the attainment of success and happiness:

The following are some of the things you might want to explore:

Attending a trade school

What makes earning an undergraduate degree long and dreary is that there are lots and lots of general education courses students are required to take.

As a matter of fact, up to 50% of all credits undergraduates to earn a bachelor’s degree are from gen ed courses. At a trade school, attendees have to learn only in-depth knowledge of necessary skills.

Learning online

Learners who have jobs to attend to or kids to take care of may be too stressed and drained to step foot on a physical campus. It’s a good thing that learning online is always an option, whether the end goal is an undergraduate degree or a certificate.

Volunteering

Refrain from assuming that important knowledge and skills necessary to have a lucrative professional career one day can only be acquired in classrooms. In many instances, doing volunteer work also allows a person to build a winning resume as well as gain meaningful and significant life lessons and experiences.

Establishing a business

For many, earning money is the number 1 reason for heading to college.

Instead of paying money year after year to earn an undergraduate degree, why not simply start making money by having a business?

Especially if the money-making venture aligns with one’s hobbies, interests or passion in life, the endeavor can be both lucrative and enjoyable.

Recap: Why College is Boring for Some People

Building your college list the wrong way can leave you having trouble keeping your eyes on the prize: a bachelor’s degree.

The same is true if you make the mistake of choosing the wrong majors and classes as well as steering clear of the numerous wonderful activities and people your college campus is offering.

By making certain adjustments as you work on an undergraduate degree or opting for an alternative to traditional college, you will find that learning something new doesn’t have to be a boring endeavor.

Related Questions

Does boredom affect learning?

According to a recent research that appeared on the website Frontiers, a meta-analysis that investigated the relationship between boredom and academic outcomes showed that boredom negatively affects learning motivation.

It added that class-related boredom is commonly experienced by students in numerous school settings.

Do students learn better when having fun?

When fun is involved, based on an investigation done on the attendees of Archbishop Williams High School and the Technical University of Denmark, students are involved as well.

The use of simulations, for instance, caused up to 97% of students to feel that the course content was more interesting.

Read Next: How to Have Fun in College Without Compromising Your Grades