The present research analyses one out of multiple challenges the first-year students face during their transition to academic life, namely, the first-year students’ work and rest balance. | First-year student s work and rest balance as an enabler to transition to adult learning Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 4 20-29 March 2020 ISSN 2668-7798 First-year student s work and rest balance as an enabler to transition to adult learning Živilė Nemickienė Vilnius University Emilija Nemickaite Lithuanian University of Health Sciences emanemika@ Abstract. The present research analyses one out of multiple challenges the first-year students face during their transition to academic life namely the first-year students work and rest balance. The balance if managed wisely might become a strong enabler to a successful transition to university life. The study analyses a series of factors such as the balance of work and rest of the first-year students skills of time management and the psychological state during the first months at university. The study employs a comparative analysis to evaluate the average hours of work and rest per week of a first-year student comparing with the planned time. The data of students work and rest balance was collected from the diary they were asked to record for two months. A focus group was comprised of twenty-five respondents of finance twelve students of language and three of health science study programs at Lithuanian universities. Keywords. Work and rest diary time management. 1. Introduction The 21st century makes a great emphasis on studies and students. In 2019 the percentage of graduates seeking to enter Lithuanian higher education institutions is higher than last year which is almost 65 and is one per cent more than in 2018. The number of students enrolled in 2019 shows that the state funds 7 096 full-time study places in university studies and 4 674 in colleges and these are places funded just for first-year students. The efforts of the state government are quite considerable but students difficulties of adapting to adult learning often undermine the mutual .
