Let’s face it; the United States is a pretty fast-paced country. It seems as if from the moment we start junior high, we are constantly advised to go to a four-year university straight out of high school and then graduate in four years. For many students these days, that standard is met by taking out thousands of dollars in loans and falling victim to our ever-growing student debt. Even students who knocked out half their courses at a community college can still fall into debt without pushing their graduation date forward another semester…and then another semester…and then…well, you get the point. A lot of students, myself included, might feel nervous or even guilty to be graduating later, as if it’s some sort of tell-tale sign that we didn’t work hard enough or just didn’t want it enough. It’s almost like there’s a negative connotation to taking more than four years to graduate. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve read my fair share of articles stressing all the negatives of taking longer to graduate.
In the grand scheme of things, though, sometimes college takes more than four years, sometimes for reasons completely out of your control – and that’s okay.
Most students graduate college within six years, and there are plenty of good reasons for stretching out your college experience. Maybe you’re going part time for a couple years to avoid taking out loans. Maybe you’re double-majoring or getting a minor (seriously, don’t listen to any condescending article telling you to stay away from getting a second degree – if you’re passionate about it and you think the skill will be useful, get that extra education. It’s worth it). Maybe you’ve gotten sick so many times during flu season and missed so much school that you’re going to need an extra semester to meet graduation requirements. That’s all okay.
So, there you have it. Get that extra major or minor if you know you’ll love it and really work hard at it. Stay part-time for several semesters if that’s what it takes to dodge the unsubsidized loan bullet. Realistically, your college experience is absolutely going to have a deadline, but that deadline does not have to be four years on the dot.
Just like your worth is not determined by what major you choose, your worth is also not determined by how long it takes you to get your bachelor’s degree. It’s more important that you know you’ll love and be good at what you’re studying and will contribute to society with it. In the grand scheme of things, the amount of time it takes you to earn your degree will not make or break how successful you are out in the “real world.”
