Meyers

Bobby Meyers

College Writing, Section 017

October 16th, 2008

William Zinsser, a former college student, English professor, and headmaster of Branford College depicts the four pressures on a college student in his article “College Pressures”.  Four different types of pressure stick out the most:  economic, parental, peer, and self-induced pressure.  The self-induced phobia: where students are certain that all other pupils are working much harder than they are.  Peer pressure: the grade has become the beacon that reflects the journey through college; not intellectual development, or maturing as an individual.  Parental pressure: the students conform to parents’ wishes, and watch themselves morph into something they’re not, just to live up to expectations.  Economic pressure: it’s not unusual for a student, even if he works part-time at college and full-time during the summer, to accrue an immense amount in loans after four years; loans that he/she begins to repay within one year after commencement (pages 121-127).

There are many more sub-pressures below each of Zinsser’s four pressures; none more than under “economic pressure.”  The economy hasn’t been helping the cost of tuition recently; college is expensive and costing more every year.  Yet FAFSA can’t be relied on as much due to the rate of inflation among other factors.  Some students are forced to obtain un-subsidized loans from their banks, pressing them to pay before graduation.  While Zinsser’s four pressures are persistently strong, I believe the most stressful strain on today’s college student is the financial pressure.

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Throughout my elementary, middle school, and high school years, I never really understood the strain money can put on a person.  Living at home, my mom and dad bought more for me than I ever knew!  I honestly possessed a great deal of money – indirectly.  I never thought much about my bank account until my college life began.  Acquiring my own checking account when I was 18 filled my ignorant head with naive financial security.  The day I ventured out of my parents’ nest was the beginning of a downward pecuniary spiral!

I underwent a major modification from the ...

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