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College is For Learning, but is it For You?
By LifeAdviceSite.com
 As
human beings, we've always known that knowledge is power. There once
existed a time when knowledge was reserved for the elite few. Those
who sought education without the benefit of privilege were often forced
to fight for that right. But gone now are the Dark Ages, and having
passed the Age of Reason we have arrived at our current juncture: The
Age of Education for All.
Everyone
says it's important to stay in school. Every sports hero and
politician shouts it from the mountain tops. "Kids, stay in school!"
Promises are made by every trade school, college and university that
the right education can boost our earnings potential
exponentially for the rest of our lives. We study hard in grade school
and high school so we can dutifully apply to college. We apply our
brains and we apply our funds to obtain that heavy, embossed piece of
paper that we have been led to believe will somehow help guarantee our
future to be bright.
I
bought it. I worked hard for my A's and B's all through school, and I
was heart-broken over the occasional C because I saw it as a potential
blight on my future. Nevertheless, I applied and was accepted at
several respectable universities and finally settled on the most cost
effective option.
Like a lot of undergraduates, I was
unsure about my ultimate career path but knew having an education would
be the light to guide me. I chose to major in the subjects I was most
passionate about and wanted to pursue: writing, literature, art and
photography. Although I enjoyed the subjects, I was frustrated in the
classes and found I already knew many of the things my professors were
trying to teach. Once I had learned the proper dissection of one poem,
frog or micro economic theory I had pretty much learned them all. I
found myself bored and often regurgitating the same stock answer I knew
the professors were after. I wasn't the only one who was occasionally
bored, either. I noted many of my classmates seemed troubled that they
were forced to roll out of bed for an 11:00 AM class, and I often
wondered why they were wasting their tuition money on an education in
which they had no interest.
Of course there were a few
classes which did challenge and stimulate me. Because mathematics was
never my strong suit, I loved having a college professor who was able
to explain Algebra and Statistics in a way I could grasp and which my
high school teachers had never accomplished. That's what education
should be, I realized. It should be about discovery and
enlightenment.
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When
I finally got that piece of paper, I found I could never really
determine whether it made a difference in my life. Although my degree
was in English, I ended up working in finance and insurance next to
people who had never even gone to college. I felt my diploma gave me
no real edge and since I had not chosen a field which required advanced
education such as a medical degree or an electrician's certification, I
wondered if maybe I had wasted my time. |
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While building a career, in my
spare time I continued to pursue my passions of the written word and
art in its varying forms. Through the continued application of my
creative endeavors and in consistently fulfilling my own need for
creative outlet, I eventually found myself building an entirely new
career path. There was no degree to pursue for what I wanted out of
life, and I know there are many who feel the same. How many people do
you know who have started a successful business based solely on
instinct and life education without ever setting foot inside a
college? There are millions of people who have done so.
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I hesitate to speak on this topic because I would never want to truly devalue the importance of an education. Education is power. Knowledge is power. The delineation is that not all
knowledge can be bought. Not all education is found in school. If
given the opportunity, it is wonderful and valuable to attend the
highest levels of education which befit and benefit a person. I would
never regret my decision to attend college and obtain a degree. I'm
proud of that accomplishment and always will be. |
It's an amazing time we live in
that we are all guaranteed the right to an education without prejudice
or restriction. The financing options, government grants, scholarships
and wide variety of available schools have made education attainable
for nearly everyone who seeks. We are so fortunate to live in this
time, and that should not be taken for granted. By the same token,
just because was are able does not necessarily mean we are required.
There are so many paths in life, and college may not be the path for
everyone. For some who take the time to experience life and uncover
their true passions from the inside out, it is much easier to carve out
a path for their existence. Once that path is uncovered they are
better equipped to take the steps to obtain whatever education or
knowledge needed to fortify the journey down that path. If the passion
is medicine, then medical school is the compass. If the passion is
mechanics, technical school will likely assist. If it's bookkeeping
you love, business school may be a logical step.
We must all stop and listen to
our inner voice rather than those around us. Ask, "is college the
place for me?" Seek out what you need and what you want, and then go
in pursuit of it.
Carpe Diem.
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Self College is for Learning