College can sometimes be overrated. Don't get me wrong, it has the potential to be a great experience. To some, college was one of the greatest experiences of their lives. I can't count how many times I've heard numerous people say "the best years of your life are in college".
I don't know, I guess they miss the community aspect that college offers (amongst other things). There's something about struggling and striving to achieve the similar goal('s) as others that makes us feel like we're on the right path, even if that's a lie. What I mean by that is no one wants to fail alone. Some may want to succeed alone, but I'm sure most would agree that succeeding as a group is much more fulfilling.
"If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together."
-someone on Twitter
As I walked to my class this morning (after hunting for a parking spot for 30 mins), I looked around at the diverse crowd of students, all from different walks of life. Some were in groups some were alone. I wondered, why are they all really here? A degree is an obvious answer, but I believe for some of them it's deeper than that. Maybe they're looking to experience the best years of their life. Maybe they're trying to discover themselves. Maybe they're just doing as they were told, by parents; peers; society or whomever. Or maybe they just have nothing better to do and have a big pile of cash lying around.
Whatever the reason, I believe they are all searching for something far more important than a degree. Whether they know what it is and are just taking the necessary steps to obtain it. Or are lost and just want to know where to begin searching and figured college was a good place to start.
But why? Why are they searching to begin with? What do they believe they will find? Yes, they receive a degree which can be an advantage(?) in their field of study. But that "advantage" has an expiration date. They know that. Or should know that. I guess they're searching because someone convinced them that receiving a degree was a sure fire way to find it, and if they found it they would obtain what we are all really after.
Happiness.
True Happiness.
I believe the only way to achieve true happiness is to share it. Perhaps that's why some students get engaged & marry while in college or just after graduating. Because they realize that all their success won't mean a thing if they don't have anyone to share it with.
To conclude, I don't know if receiving a degree will get you one step closer to finding true happiness. I don't know if it will help you find what you are looking for. I don't know if it will satisfy your parents; peers or society.
What I do know is that we can't find happiness. Happiness finds us. When we surround ourselves with people we're glad to have in our lives. When we flood our schedules with tasks we love doing. When we achieve goals we set for ourselves (big or small). When we exceed our own expectations and help others find happiness.
We achieve true happiness.
These are thoughts that cross mind when walking to class.
For what it’s worth:
It’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.
Yesterday they wanted someone with an Associates. Today they want someone with a Bachelors. Tomorrow they want someone with a Masters. I will NOT let someone else determine my future success based on what they think I'm worth. I will NOT slave myself away to a flawed education system that charges me 100% tuition (along with ridiculous & irrelevant fees) to teach me 40 % of what I actually need to know to succeed in "the real world" then say I'm in their debt for the rest of my life. I will determine my own value. I will set my own standards & goals then achieve them through pure will, determination & passion.