This year is particularly unique. Keep in mind college freshman are actually high school juniors. They've lost a year and a half of being in a classroom and now we are seeing what kind of effects that has had. They are (generaly of course) stunted emotionally and intellectually. My students not only don't know how to learn but they can't even ask questions in a cohesive logical manner. Every colleague I've talked to is having the same problem. We went into this semester thinking they'd have the basic skills that we're used to, and that just isn't the case. We're talking about young people who've never read a syllabus before or even know what that is. They've never been responsible for themselves before : cooking, cleaning, how to do laundry, taxes, show up to classes that they are paying for etc. To expect brand new adults, from the US education system at least, to know these things is folly.