I didn’t go to college right after high school like most people do. My parents were pressuring me to, until one day, I worked up the courage to tell my dad I just didn’t think it was right for me and pointed out the fact that not everybody goes to college. Surprisingly, he understood and instead, I attended a two year program at a performing arts conservatory. I have huge FOMO (fear of missing out), so about a year after graduating from the conservatory, I felt like I would be missing out on the whole “college experience” if I decided not to attend. That brought me here, to Indiana University, and as good of a school as it is, I still stand by the statement I made when I was 17; College is not for everybody. So, these are the types of people that shouldn’t attend college in the first place or should probably save their money and drop out:
1. The creative types.
The reason I think I don’t really jive with college is because especially in the first two years when you’re taking your gen eds, it can be so devoid of creativity. I know that I’m never going to need to be able to solve matrices, so why do I need to take finite math? If you’re a visual or graphic arts major, college may be the right place for you because you need to learn how to use certain software and editing programs in order to be successful, but for those interested in performing or fine arts, it may be better to save the $40K and use it on specific master classes with successful people in that field and to build your portfolio or film reel.
2. Geniuses or very intelligent people.
Of course geniuses can attend college, but most likely they’d be very bored. People who are intellectually gifted think on a different level and for them, there isn’t even a point in attending class. They’re the people that get A’s in the hardest classes without even trying. Their time would be better spent working on a start up company than living in a dorm.
3. People who know what they want to do.
College is supposed to be a time for exploring different interests and figuring out what you want to do. For people who already have a specific career path in mind, attending college can confuse them even more. They may begin to question themselves about whether they truly still want that dream career and this can create self doubt, which can make them lose motivation.
4. People who don’t know what they want to do.
This may seem kind of backwards because college can open doors for people who may be at a loss for career goals. However, just because one attends a school with hundreds of clubs, student organizations, majors, and minors, doesn’t mean that they will find their true passion in any of them. For people who are having an existential crisis without a sense of direction or for people who have too many passions that they can’t narrow them down, taking a year off to do some soul searching or traveling may be best.
5. Restless or energetic people.
College is like a four year long project that students feel like they have to finish. For people with lots of energy, going through the motions of the same routine day after day can make them go crazy. People who often move from project to project without really finishing one before starting the other would be better suited for a job that allows them to travel or to make their own hours. Sitting in classes all day can stifle that energy and that type of energy can be valuable in the workplace.
6. People who get bored easily.
Most college students are perfectly content with tailgating and going to the sports games and attending the same frat parties with the same people every single weekend. For those who cringe at the idea of seeing the same people at the same college bar every Saturday night, they should find out whether what they want to do truly necessitates a college degree and if so, they should move to a big city and finish their degree online.
Spoiler alert: the college experience is overrated and it isn’t like the movies, no matter how many parties or tailgates or football games you go to. If you decide to attend college, make sure you’re listening to yourself and you’re not being influenced by your parents, friends, the media or society. If you’re coming to the realization that college is not the right place for you, you’re not alone and you certainly don’t have to stay. We would not have Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Microsoft, Apple products or countless Hollywood movies without college dropouts. There’s a stigma around dropping out of college of weakness, due to an inability to stay on track, or failure. For most dropouts, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Ask yourself if you want to spend four years chasing a piece of paper for acceptance from your inner circle or if you want to get a head start on the real world.
