College tuition is insanely expensive. There is the sticker price, which covers purely tuition. Then there are the hidden costs that only come up later on the bill or during the year. There is a student activity fee, a technology fee, parking fees, orientation fees and more. Add in living expenses and that college education gets unbelievably pricey.
All those expenses can get overwhelming. However, there are some things that come with a college education that you don't pay a specific fee for. Maybe, just maybe, our tuition dollars are going further than we think.
So what are we actually paying for? Why do we spend the tens of thousands of dollars to get an education? Because a college education is more than a degree earned from classroom time. A college education is invaluable because of the lessons learned along the way.
Here are some amazing things you get with a college education:
1. Genuine friendships
College is fantastic because you literally get to live with your friends. All the time. You are constantly surrounded by people your age who are going through the same things you are.
2. New experiences
College is a time of growth and self-exploration. It is a wonderful opportunity to try new things and uncover hobbies you didn't even know you liked. Tuition dollars don't push you outside of your comfort zone, but new experiences will.
3. Mentorship
Finding a mentor or role model in college is fantastic. Whether it is a professor you look up to, an older student who has their life together or a classmate who is simply #lifegoals, mentorship can make a huge difference in a college experience.
4. Personal branding
College allows you to truly brand who you are as an individual. Mom and Dad are no longer around to push any type of lifestyle onto you. If you don't want to do the dishes, then don't. If you want to eat ice cream for dinner, more power to you. The habits made in college shape who you are in the future and the decisions you make are entirely up to you.
5. Valuable lessons
With college comes a level of independence and openness. Many restricting barriers are torn down, allowing you to make decisions for yourself. With decisions come mistakes— mistakes that need to be made in order to learn. Lessons learned outside the classroom are often more valuable than the lessons learned in the classroom.
6. Lasting memories
No matter what your college experience is, you'll most likely leave with invaluable memories. Good memories, bad memories or crazy memories, college will enrich your life with much more than scholastic knowledge. Don't blink. It will be gone before you know it.
