Challeges Faced by Matriculation Students

Question: Matriculation students often face a lot of challenges. What are some of these challenges?
          A fortnight ago, I visited my cousin who is studying in the Johor Matriculation College. I was shocked to see her at first. With dark circles around her eyes and severe weight loss, she looked pale and tired. After much enquiry, she admitted she faced hard times in the college. Indeed, matriculation students do face many challenges namely, time management, adapting to the new lifestyle and competition in studies.
          Firstly, time management is one of the great challenges faced by matriculation students. Students find it hard to manage their time due to their busy and demanding schedule. For example, a matriculation student’s daily routine starts at 8 am and ends at 5 pm. Between this time, students have to manage lectures, tutorials and science practicals wisely. Besides, students have to finish up loads of homework amidst limited resting time. Usually the homework must be submitted within one or two days only. So students will have to sacrifice other activities such as playing games or jogging in order to finish the tasks given to them on time. However, if the students planned and used time wisely, activities that they desired to be carried out can go without any hindrance. It is clear that matriculation students do face difficulties in managing their time.
          Secondly, adapting to the new lifestyle is another challenge for matriculation students. New lifestyle refers to the new life students are experiencing in matriculation colleges. Nearly all the students here graduated from high schools where they were often spoon-fed with all kinds of information and knowledge. However, in matriculation programmes, university-like learning style is implemented and this is a major change for the students. For instance, students have to find extra inputs such as lecture notes, reference books and exercise papers on their own. This change might be...