Unveiling College Pressures: A Zinsser's Perspective

It’s two in the morning, you are on the fourth page of your ten-page research paper but at the same time you remember that you must send an appeal letter to financial aid plus you almost forgot about your exam tomorrow. College life is not easy at all and William Zinsser provides realistic and true examples of how difficult it can be. From the desperate letters of anxiety under the dean’s door to the late night screaming “Does anyone care?” Zinsser furthermore explains while studying for exams in one thing college students also have to ponder about how to pay for school, and the debt they will amass over the course of their studies. Education is supposed to be fun and interesting, an experience to enjoy and remember.

William Zinsser in his Article “College Pressures” delivers a raw look through the eyes of the students. As I read the notes that were slipped under the Carlos Hortas’s door I could immediately imagine myself writing it. Zinsser being the Dean of Branford College, on a daily basis talks to students about how to “get through life.” In his article he states that students try to focus on too much at once, looking for “career security, financial security, social security, and presumably a prepaid grave.” With the competitive nature of

the world now everyone is looking for an edge something to push them up on the hiring list. I can relate, being a criminal Justice major and wanting to pursue a career in law enforcement I have searched and called and begged to get an internship at a police department or state or federal agency. Being a freshman it is hard because most positions are fist given to seniors and juniors. To get ahead I plan on joining either the Air Force or Marine Corps reserves. But as Zinsser indicated “The road ahead is a long one” and we should to savor each part of our education and not look at it so grimly.

There are four pressures put on college students in this time and age, economic, parental peer and self-induced pressure. I feel Zinsser accurately describes how much of a burden economic pressure brings on students. Most people look at tuition costs and think that’s it, but it only covers about sixty percent Zinsser says. There are many other things such as books, daily transportation, food costs, clothing, and various other little things. The original article was published in 1978 and students at that time while working a part time job would still accrue around 50,000 dollars in debt. In modern times you can almost double that besides if you’re going to med or law school you can triple it. Even though I do have financial aid and a part time job I still have days where I think about how I am going to get through next week. To save money for gas and car insurance I must cut going out with my friends or buying new cloths. It’s sad when you start to realize that some dreams might just stay dreams.
What do you want to be when you grow up? You should probably ask most college students what their parents want them to be. In the article Zinsser questions a student “Do you want to go to medical school?” The student replies with “I guess so” why, because my parents want me to be a doctor. Growing up in a Pakistani house hold my parents always made choices for me, I remember when my parents wanted me to be an engineer or doctor. For some reason parents get caught up with main stream jobs, not exploring other possibility’s. I am a first generation American and I am the black sheep in my family for pursuing something out of the norm. As Zinsser said “They are caught in the in one of the oldest webs of love and duty and guilt.” Students want to major in history or classics or philosophy, and trying to convince parents how humanities will pay off is harder than getting Donald Trump to release his tax returns. It’s crazy how I can get classified intel but my parents won’t let me be a cop.

College kids beat themselves up all the time, trying to maintain a 4.0 GPA and taking calculus 1 while taking organic chemistry. Those two classes are extremely difficult, yet students will take them at the same time. Self-induced pressure is what really can break down a student. Not performing to a level that you want or when what you planned goes astray students will think that the world is collapsing in front of them. College students usually have 1300 courses to select from, once you have chosen your classes you must then decide how much time you can spare for yourself, your parents, friends and mostly time to study and do homework. Coming from high school to college is a big change. I came from a very low end school in Jersey City, which did not at all prepare me for college. How crazy is it when you must still raise your hand to go the bathroom at 18 years old but three months later in college you can just up and leave any class you want.
Finally, peer-pressure something that can be looked at in several ways.

One way to look at it is when your friends try and convince you to do something wither it is a good or bad thing. But another way to look at peer-pressure is when students look at peers who excel in school and study all the time and have that 4.0 GPA. In “college pressures” Zinsser says that one dean told him about a student named Linda. Linda was under terrible pressure from her roommate Barbara, but not for staying awake all night partying, but “Barbara was much brighter and studied all the time.” So you have to look at the flip side of things. But what’s even crazier is that Barbara had come in two hours earlier to say the same think about

Linda.

William Zinsser is that guy that every student likes and talks about, the problem solver and giver of hope. His credibility expands from his vast experience and the time he has spent with actual students. As detailed in the article by Dan Barry “A writing coach becomes a listener” Zinsser is still teaching at Yale at 90 “holding one-on-one counselling sessions for accomplished and aspiring writers at his round wooden table.” This is a man that clearly cares and even though he is now blind he still sits there and listens. As a current college student everything in “college pressures” is precise to the inch. I just hope I can meet someone similar to Zinsser who can help guide me and give advice.