College Dangers!

(Warning signs that may indicate possibly serious emerging problems with your college career)

• Repeated absences from classes, whether for work, illness, or just out of boredom or dislike.

• A growing feeling that you "just don't want to think about college," or that "college sucks!"; counting up grievances against the University and/or reasons why UTEP is not for you.

• Continuing indecisiveness about your major, personal and career goals, or courses to take, lack of clear goals or vision for your future.

• Frequent unexpected or increased illness, including repeated headaches, surprise bouts of "stomach flu," migraine or infections.

• Lying to parents or significant other about your college absences, progress, assignments or grades.

• New or increased uncontrolled depression, exhaustion, self-harm, or bouts of crying.

• Lack of sleep; nodding off or falling asleep in class or on campus.

• Increased drinking, smoking, or use of illegal substances; coming to class "high."

• Irresponsible, promiscuous or unprotected sexual behavior.

• Using any and all excuses to avoid doing homework; difficulty keeping up with coursework, falling seriously behind on reading and assignments.

• Questioning the relevance of required courses for your major.

• Selecting classes without any connection to career, purpose or goals.

• Unrealistic overconfidence combined with failing grades or poor prior academic record.

• Running out of money in mid-semester.  Unrealistic hopes for receiving scholarships, additional student loans and extra financial aid before the money runs out.

• Failure to register for next semester or to reapply for financial aid and/or housing on time; failure to complete the FAFSA.

• Requesting transcripts.

If you live away from home:

• Spending hours on the phone, texting, on Twitter or Facebook talking to family, old high school friends or home folks.

• Failure to make any friends at UTEP, or to really engage with the University.

• Missing class to go home early for holidays, or for family gatherings, vacations, reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and community events.

O.W. 5/07 rev 1/12