Carly Sadiker

How does high school students participation in activities compare to college students participation in activities? *Finding out the answer to the question is important because it can help colleges figure out what they can do to make college students more involved on campus.

*Interviewing- I interviewed 14 girls who are either freshmen or sophomores here at Bloomsburg. I also used the interview from two people unlike me. I believe interviewing them helped me address my question because I got to find out how involved students were at different high schools and how involved those students are here at Bloomsburg. *Comparing- I compared my data to My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student by Rebekah Nathan (2005). This helped me address my question because I got to see how another person took her findings, that was similar to mine, and created it into a book. Nathan found from her findings that many people at AnyU participated in the same social networks that they had belonged to before college.

Nathan: The big question is: “Where is community in the American University and how does one become a part of it?” “By 1990 it was already becoming clear that few students participate in campus events; 76 percent of college and university presidents called nonparticipation a moderate to major problem on campuses.” ~This to me means more than half of college students are not participating in college actives. From Nathans finding it seems to me more students are less involved in college. “When I asked students in interviews whether they felt they had a ‘community’ at AnyU, most said yes. But what they meant by community were these personal networks of friends.” ~Students feel a community in college is groups of friends not what activities they participate in. This shows students feel like they have no need to join college activities.

High School Schedule College ScheduleFindings ~people did more during the day~more socializingLess active (down time)in college ~more active in different clubs~did clubs based involved on major less in college ~had jobs~school work is theirless active jobin college ~equal number ate breakfast~more don’t have in more of breakfasta rush in the morning in college ~played sports~people go to the More gym involved with other people in high school

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~From my findings, it seems more students are involved during their senior year of high school rather then in college. Many students feel the pressure in high school to do as many activities as possible because it looks very good on their resumes. Colleges out looks now are not what the college can do for the student but what the student can do for them (the college). Colleges are counting on the student to be active. But my finding suggests many students are just burnt out from high school. ~My research can be then backed up by Nathan’s writing because she too found out many college students are not involved in their college activities/clubs. She believes they do not want to take the time out to meet new friends and do different things because they are content hanging out with their group of friends.

From both of our findings, I believe the college community is about friends and socializing. The focus is not being part of something like an activity or club.