When was the last time you went home to hugs and parties? When was the last time you screwed up on a test and got by because you were hammered the night before? If you are a college student, the answer is recently.
Now, if you are not a college student, it might not be a fun life for you. See, the reason college at 18 to 21 is the best time is not that we just turned legal, it is because we can use this time to gather memorable moments, priceless experiences and lifelong values that will help and guide us throughout our lives.
As a current college student, I am quite a thankful that I got a chance to be a college student at this age. Why? Well, there are a number of reasons:
To start, a scientific article once said that at the age of 18, your brain's processing power reaches its peak. Now that in itself is an achievement. It took us 18 years to finally reach our mental peak. That says a lot, not only about our body but our lives. We tend to learn values that will guide us through a college type setting in high school. High school is basically a preliminary round of college, however, college is when you get to do everything while your parents are typically still active in your life. Once you graduate or get a real job, you have to tend and take care of yourself.
In a real-world setting, you won't be able to talk to your manager about you not being able to get how to flip burgers. But in college, if you don't understand something, you can shamelessly ask the professor. And mind you, most of them don't frown at you when you ask. It's their job. They get paid to make sure you know the material. Now, coming back to the manager situation, he only gets paid to supervise. If he thinks your inability to flip patties if insuffcient, he will simply fire you. Done. But in college, you get chances with tests, quizzes, supplemental instruction sessions.
College can be seen as the crux of the life you will be leading ahead. It is a time and place where you can decide about your future and test the option to see if it is truly the best. You can switch majors to see what you truly are good in. But in real life, switching jobs is as hard as getting one; time-consuming, redundant, heartbreaking, bills piling, tears dropping. College gives you a chance to see what you can and want to do, becoming proficient in it and using your degree to enjoy the work you do. Going to college in the age range of 18 to 21 allows no time to be wasted. Plus, you wouldn't want to go on a road trip to Spain without knowing a little Spanish. College helps with that, too!
During your peak processing time frame, you have the ability to learn and understand new languages, and at college, you have the chance to work with professionals and other peers to help you get it right. While there are numerous apps for learning calculus or Spanish, what you truly want is the experience related to the learning-the emotions, the stress, the happiness. Sometimes, I think of my testing in college to be something I can relate to when I need help with remembering stuff from a subject. Those questions can randomly pop up, allowing for a mini-review to happen in your head even when you are watching a football game in your 40's.
If anything, college is a time where you get to be a child for four more years. You get to go home to your family and hug your sisters and brothers and feel the stress waving adios to you. All the tension fades away when your mom says,"I'm glad to have you back home, dear." Those late night snuggles and fights overlays when a movie is showing with your sibling during college are key moments that you will cherish your whole life. College is truly a one time bet — do it right.
