The not-so-college life

Movies lie all the time. They say that people can defy gravity by launching motorcycles into helicopters. The life of a spy is dangerous and sexy. Prom is going to be the best night of your life. But college is even better. Parties, fun, flash mobs, the works. I’m a junior in college and have yet to see any of that going on here; maybe I need to start hanging out with a new crew. Regardless, they forget to tell you about the constant brawls that come into play. The disputes with the financial department. The long and vigorous nights of studying so much you can barely remember what you read two seconds ago.  The numerous swears that spill out of your mouth toward an inanimate object, which will most likely be a computer or the campus server.

The movies constantly push that all the hard work will pay off in the end. The diploma in hand, the happiness showers in and then what? Possible unemployment? Constantly searching for a job and ending up empty handed? How about graduate school? That is almost as much, if not more expensive than, undergraduate studies.

Now, I’m not trying to discourage anyone. I’m just trying to bring to light the obvious problem with the perception people have of college. “You get in and you get out” isn’t the best way to look at it. “You go in and party hard” isn’t the best way either. Planning it so that you get the best knowledge in the most efficient amount of time you can for you degree is the best way to approach it. Figuring out where you need to be in the next year or two to land that internship is what you need to do. This isn’t high school, even the “breeze” courses require picking up the book and actually reading it. The required course of English isn’t just writing up some academic dribble. It’s about finding hard evidence and resources as well as working hard to get that A or B.

So now general education courses are out of the way, and you need to buckle down and focus. You are closer to that goal than you were before. This is where you need to start networking so you will get that job in the end, instead of graduating and standing doe-eyed with a piece of paper in your hand. 

“But Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn’t get college degrees and they are super successful.”

You’re right, but aim even higher by getting a degree.