Everyone knows that part of college is partying, there is no way around that fact. Most students go through hell and back, twice over, to make good grades, so letting go of all that pressure is important to staying healthy and focused. I can not stress enough how crucial I think it is to have an off switch sometimes when it comes to school. How else can a person stay sane in college? As I am wrapping up my first week here at Tulane, I can vouch for the positive effect that making friends and staying social has had on my experience thus far. During Syllabus Week, the going out scene is heightened and partying is just constantly in the atmosphere - everyone is searching to belong and being social is the best way to find your niche. There is a reason that teachers lighten the homework load the first week - they want students to prioritize acclimating and making friends even if it is just briefly. Yes, the point of college is to ultimately get a degree and make a life for yourself, but college is also about coming into your own and growing into the person you wish to one day be. It is impossible to flourish and discover yourself if you spend four years holed up in a library cubicle; experience is everything. It is hard to dispute that the 4.0 GPA valedictorian is going to be successful in life, but how do you define success? To me, having a successful college experience means making friends and trying everything, while at the same time making the most of a first class education and being advantageous when it comes to opportunity. To ultimately be happy means to find that balance between school and everything else. I personally would rather be a well balanced person in all aspects, rather than just a wiz with the books. Many have reservations about the validity of the point I am trying to get across, which is understandable. At a young age it is programmed into our heads that an A is the only acceptable showing of our college experience, but what about the learning that goes on outside the classroom? I am by no stretch of the imagination saying that school is not important, because college is expensive and it is in the best interest of every student to prioritize school. With that said, my argument is that grades should not be the ONLY priority. To corroborate my argument, the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has compiled irrefutable data demonstrating that those who also value being social can be just as, or even more, successful than the other side of the spectrum.
According to the NJIT, 85% of Fortune 500 executives belonged to a fraternity in college and that 70% of men/women that join a fraternity or a sorority in college go on to graduate. Additionally, it is projected that less than 50% of people without an affiliation to Greek life fail to make it the full four years. Fortune 500 executives are some of the most successful people in the country, and 85% of them were-to a degree-socially active in college. Additionally, this information collected by the NJIT clearly shows that people who sought to be more socially engaged and involved were more likely to graduate - a clear indication that going out and having fun is NOT detrimental to any person's future. The first female senator was even Greek! For instance, being part of Greek life gives people a sense of community and belonging, and teaches college students social etiquette and skills that will last a lifetime. Think about it like this: who is more likely to get the job- the part time genius part time recluse or the smart, well rounded, student that has people skills and potential? To sum it all up, the most successful people in the world are those who have the full package. As I said before, obviously that top one percent of people whose IQs are unattainable to the other 99% are going to be successful, but that is not a reality for most. Being smart with noticeable academic drive is crucial, but it does not trump all the other components. So all in all, my advice to anyone in college is to work hard to be the best all around version of yourself in AND out of the classroom because that is the key to success.
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