A STUDY OF NEGATIVE BEHAVIOUR AND LIFE STYLE ANALYSIS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS

The most dynamic age in a human beings life span is the youth i.e. between the ages 17 t0 21 years. They have the strength, courage, energy, physical vigour and ambitions. So nation and society can benefit by utilizing the youth , by channelizing their energies, tapping their talents, guiding them and employing them in different fields. But the unfortunate thing is that all over the world the youth are misdirectd and underutilized and have been the significant factor for the downfall of a civilization, nation or institution. College students persue various courses are the ones that add to manpower needs and development of the country. Development depends upon information, not only material information but also spiritual information. Colleges and institutions of higher learning provide enough facilities to collect and impart material information but there is no attempt to collect and impart spiritual information and therefore has resulted in attention being paid to material and physical rather than mental and spiritual needs. As Electricity is the energy that moves machines, so also are Youth the energy of a nation. Youth, who are physically well-built, healthy, energetic and efficient, mentally well-developed, thoughtful, knowledgeable and innovative, psychologically enthusiastic and zestful, emotionally balanced, morally upright and strong and spiritually awakened to the transcendental realities, can lead a nation to the pinnacle of glory or to the Golden Age./ If the Youth of a country i.e. men and women are high character and creativity, then all the people in that country will have a sound character and be of constructive habits because small children will find in the Youth a worthy example to follow and the elders will be goaded by the conscience to give up their lethargy and negative traits to make all efforts not to lag behind the youth who are only new entrants to the "Actually, it is the youth who should follow because we are elders but, practically, the youth are ahead of us and, so, we must try to excel or, at least, not be left behind them". So, the youth will fire the zeal of the elders also. The adolescents and the youth are generally idealistic and dreamers. The energy in them assures them that, in a short span of time, they will attain this, that and the other goal but they find that lack of the power of mental concentration, or attraction to the opposite gender, or non-congenial atmosphere at home and at their place of study are great obstacles which frustrate them. So, out of frustration, they become only ordinary citizens or some of them fall into the deep and dirty ditch of the vagabonds, the unruly and the morally depraved group or they take to drugs, bad films and such other disorienting and degrading habits. It is, therefore, the duty of the society to arrange not only for their secular education but also for such moral and spiritual education as gives them the power to develop the power of concentration of mind and the strength of character that can ward off the temptations to which the youth fall an easy prey or the negative influences to which they are otherwise liable to give in. The Youth also should awaken to the truth that the secular studies will enable them only to be earning members of the family and be literate citizens but they require education in Values and Meditation also that can equip them for a peaceful, happy and characterful life and can enable them to face the challenges of life. So, on their own, they should pay some attention to such study that serves well their purpose to have good mental concentration and good memory that facilitates their process of learning, and saves them from their energy being wasted, mind being polluted, character being deformed, habits being negative and emotions being deceptive. If they do that, then it means that they take the necessary action to ensure better future for themselves and for their country. If they fail in this effort or remain negligent to this aspect of education, then it would mean that they do not themselves care for their betterment, for, this is the period when they lay down the foundation of, or raise the pillars for their future. It has been found that during the period, proceeding youth, i.e. during adolescence, most of the boys and girls have high ideals and have a strong voice of clear conscience that constantly asks them to keep away from bad things but when they see their elders telling lies, earning by dishonest means and doing all sorts of negative works and yet justifying their bad actions by asserting that life cannot be sustained without such bad actions, then they get confused, corrupted, and compelled to adopt bad ways of life. So, it is the duty of the elders to guard against playing a negative role or saying and doing such things as spoil the adolescents and the youth. Or, at least, they can suggest, persuade and guide their boys and girls to visit such places where they find an atmosphere or encouragement to be good and to do well. Youth constitute the nerve centre of the nation, the heart of a society or the life and blood of a country or a community. They form the force that can build a nation or bulldoze all the development achieved over centuries. They are the ones who can either preserve the culture and the Values or maintain law and order and can lead a civilization to new heights and it is they who can push the society downhill. But what the youth do, depends actually and what they think, and what they think depends on what they learn, listen or read and see. So, it is of outmost importance to make provision for their exposure to what is good if the society does not take such steps, it works for its own doom. Contrariwise, we can say that the world can be a better place if the youth become better. The youth can be better if their education is better, their elders are better and all these get sufficient exposure to those teachings and also have contact with those persons who can serve as example of better principles and better practices. The youth generally have the physical power. They have the guts to do what they say or what they decide. But they easily get agitated, especially when they find injustice, hypocrisy, dishonesty, deceit or a challenge to their self-respect. All people around them cannot be prevented from having anyone of these provocative traits. What can, however, be done is to train the youth in such acts or ways that can maintain in them a constant supply of peace and calmness and can strengthen their will not to give in to anyone of these bad tendencies but to prepare to root out these evils. This can be done by educating them in such ways and mental techniques that can enable them to maintain equanimity, human dignity, humility, honesty, obedience and attitude of service. So, education in these and others Values and in Meditation is the way to give to the youth a better way of living and to have their constructive services to make the world better. Also, it is necessary to give the youth the family-love and not to be repressive in dealing with.... Them but to provide them with opportunities to be creative. There is lot of indiscipline among the youth leading to turbulent mind, sense of frustration and rejection of the idea of control. Whether it is self control or control by elders. Indiscipline is sign of restlessness of mind and a tendency to disobey and overthrow all codes of conduct. Indiscipline has a current of vanity, an impulse of disobedience and an attitude of total disrespect for authorities. This roughness in behavior and the spirit or revolt is not really a thirst for freedom but it is an attempt to over-assert oneself and to yearn for recognition. All these are symptoms of mind that is void of peace and contentment. It also shows a deep scorn for the government of the administration or the society. If the educational system cannot inspire the youth by their love, sacrifice, character, spirit of service and understanding, then the youth, who have superfluous physical energy and stamina, become restless and that tend to overthrow the system, the system that has become out- dated and time-worn and is hollow from within like a dry and dying tree which gives neither shadow nor fruit and standing in the way.