I have a year and a half left until I graduate with my bachelor's degree, and during my time as a college student, I realized how simple it sounds to get a degree and a good job. These past few years I've watched people drop out, lose scholarships, change career paths, and so much more.
I have heard my peers say things like "That person just works," or "They JUST have their Associate's." Which made me think back to middle school when I had a guidance counselor who told people they would end up "working at McDonald's". What's wrong with working at McDonald's?
Is the person behind the counter any less intelligent than the person ordering the food? No. Just because someone chooses not to pursue higher education, does not make them any less than the person with a four-year degree.
Every school I attended pushed the student body to get into four-year universities, and there really wasn't any mention of trade schools or other employment options. School did not teach me that society will always need public transportation drivers, construction workers, mechanics, and hairdressers.
I've watched former classmates drop out of college and shamefully say, "I just work". There should not be a "just" between "I" and "work" because there is nothing wrong with working without being in school. Not everyone has the luxury of having their parents pay for everything. Also, some people choose not to attend because they know they can't truly afford it, and that taking out loans would not fix the problem.
I regret asking, "Why don't you just start taking classes?" because it is simply none of my business. I am lucky enough to have my parents pay for my tuition, car, and other random expenses, but many other people don't have that luxury.
It took me until my Junior year in college to realize that I am not "the norm": I have my parents standing behind me at all times and a lot of other people do not.
Being enrolled in a four-year university does not make you any smarter than the person behind the counter handing you your coffee before your first class of the day. Yes, getting into a good school is an accomplishment, but it isn't your God given right.
There are people out there with endless potential and raw intelligence who chose not to attend college, and you are no better than them because just because you have a degree.
If you're in college just for the "college experience" without an end goal, then you are there for the wrong reason. Don't go to college because your Mom told you to, or because all your friends are going, go because you choose to. Also, there is no timeline in college.
If you're thirty-five with six kids and a mortgage and you decide you want to be a nurse, then go for it. If it's taking you five or six years to get your business degree and you can't picture yourself doing anything else, keep going.
You do not have to finish college in four years or when you're twenty-one. If you choose to go to college go for the right reasons, do your research, and only go if you can't picture yourself doing anything else.
