'Traditional College Kid'? What's That?
An exploration into living a life that's all your own.
If you're at all like me, you have times where you step back from what you're doing and wonder "Why? Why am I doing this?" It could be taking a hard class, it could be dealing with a certain friend, or it could be just about anything else. And that's okay.
One of the hardest parts of college for a lot of people is being truthful with themselves — "Why, exactly, am I here?" It's a question worthy of serious consideration - after all, college isn't an easy time and it's not supposed to be. We're here to learn from our professors, of course, but we're also here to gain new skills and learn new ways of handling difficult situations. One of the hardest things I ever did in college was seriously thinking about the "why" question. My answer changed, and it continues to change a little bit every time I ask it.
Perhaps a little introduction is in order. I'm Steven. I'm a Junior in standing at K-State Polytechnic. I'm academically non-traditional in almost every way. I live in Kansas City and work for a major company whose headquarters is in my backyard. I'm not, and never have, been a residential student in Manhattan. I fully anticipate my degree taking longer than the customary four years, and I'm OK with it. My motto is "Be Unique," and my educational background is no exception. I began my collegiate career at a different university but found myself answering the "why" question in a way that made me rethink my path.
One of the biggest "why" moments for me happened about a year ago, after the fall semester at my "freshman school." I began to give serious thought to the reasons I was where I was, and where I really saw myself being in a few years after graduation. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't happy with either of the answers. I wasn't unhappy, but I knew there was a different path out there than the one I had been set up on thus far. When I got home for the holidays, I put in a few applications for jobs I didn't think I had a chance at. I wasn't even expecting interviews. After all, I didn't have a degree. I had 14 credits from my first semester, almost less than full-time. I didn't know what path I could or should be following — I was just experimenting with life outside of college.
Fast forward to today. I've been at my job for a year. I've also remained true to my original goal of becoming a college graduate by taking classes online and at a local community college on nights and weekends. My GPA is higher than it ever was as a traditional student and I feel like the "why" question has a totally different answer today than it did a year ago. And that's OK. One of the most important life lessons I've learned has been balance. For many people my age, balance might be learning how to go out on a Sunday night and not miss an 8 a.m. Monday lecture. And that, as well, is OK. For me, balance is staying true to my goal of a degree from K-State while continuing to learn and excel at my "day job." I didn't function well as a traditional student, and that's OK. It's OK to not be OK.
I'm looking forward to writing here at the Odyssey. I've seen and known both sides of college life — "traditional" and "non-traditional." My articles will cover both. While I may be slightly biased, I believe there is nothing at all wrong with either. There's a path out there for everyone. Set your goals, adjust them as necessary, and "stay the course." Knowing what you want is only half the battle — figuring out how best to get there is one of the most trying things you can do, but the results are worth it every time.
