Five Reasons Why I Didn't Want to go to College
1. My grades weren't so hot in high school-
During the high school stage of my life school was only a priority to me since it took up 8 or so hours of my day. It was such a waste of time in my eyes and I think it had to do with the structure. I didn't feel that I was learning anything that would help me and got stuck in that mentality of it. I hated the immaturity of so many I passed everyday in the hall, I was just ready to get out. I didn't feel like I belonged there, therefore I didn't try and put all my energy, I should've been doing homework, into my after-school sports and job.
2. I was burnt out of school
I didn't have the academic motivation in high school that I knew was a necessity in college. Thank God for my senior year crime and justice/sociology teacher who recognized that high school was not a good fit for me and knew I would succeed in college. That teacher pushed me to go further with my education by doing all that I could to be successful the remainder of my senior year and to get accepted into a university and graduate like I did. I hated asking for help with my future, but I don't know if I would be where I am today without that help. (to that teacher- thank you)
3. The investment scared me
saying that "college is expensive" is possibly one of the most annoying things to hear in this day and age because DUH ITS EXPENSIVE, and its scary. Obviously, it makes it a lot easier when you may receive grants and/or scholarships or help from your parents, but for most there will still be loans and still be other payments. It's a big risk
4. I wanted to make money
When I was graduating high school I was a server (and still am but less hours because of college) and making decent money. Of course, every day can be different when you're a server but when you're making about $15-$20 (differing more than that based on what shift you're working) and hour its hard to give that up and instead take debt.
5. I wanted to do more than just go to a 4-year university
I wanted to work, rack up some cash, and travel a bit. I didn't have anything like school holding me down and wanted to really embrace my independence.
Ten Reasons I am so Glad I did go to College
1. It is my style of learning
In college, you don't typically go to class for 8 hours a day and have every class, every day. You have each class 1-4 (maybe 5? I certainly haven't had any) days of the week, depending on the type of class and section you're in. On top of that you're typically only in class for around an hour and a half and have 2-3 classes per day on average (of course, this varies by personal choice, number of credits taken, section availability, etc.) That's about 3 to 4.5 hours per day in a classroom. Of course, a lot (and I mean ALOT) of time is spent throughout the day working for those classes elsewhere, but it's your choice and your schedule.
2. You make your own schedules
Based on how many sections are open per semester for your classes, you can pretty much choose whatever time you want to start the day and end it. You want all Monday/Wednesday classes? You can probably do that if you're up for it. Are you like me and want to start your day at 12:35pm and not have Friday classes? You got it.
3. The environment is glowing with motivation
maybe not in your first semester freshman classes but by your second, yes. The majority of people there are success driven and your professors and advisors want you to succeed. It's hard not to want to do well and be bit by the motivational bug.
4. It's the best job
No, you don't typically get a check on Fridays for taking notes but being a student is one of the best and hardest jobs you'll ever have. It teaches you (sometimes harshly) the need for time management, communication skills, and opens your mind up to so many different perspectives that you had originally thought you maxed out on.
5. The loans will get paid off
If you work hard in college and are goal oriented you will be successful, you will find a job eventually, and the loans (big or small) that you had to take out to get yourself to that point will be paid off, if you work hard and go out of your way to get the opportunities to get yourself there.
6. Independence
Even though your professors and advisors would and do so much to make sure you're successful, at the end of the day it all comes down to you. In high school, you're typically dragged along by your parents. No more. It's a competitive world and it's up to you to get your name out there and have something to put to it.
7. Experiences/Opportunities
Never would I have ever thought I would be where I am today dealing with involvement. There are so many opportunities from joining Running Club to unpaid/paid internship applications to admittance into academic honors societies. These things build your resume, they build who employers see you as. Most importantly they build the memories and success you get to look back on when you're handed your diploma.
8. You can still travel
Study abroad. The option that many college graduates say they regret not taking when they were in college. Many universities offer the same tuition and financial aid when you spend a semester or two overseas or in a couple states over studying. The real only difference is the plane ticket and a lot more out-of-pocket spending.
9. It gave me confidence I only thought was real in my head
You become yourself. As cheesy as it may sound, you do. You no longer fall to the default aspects of your life because there is no time. You make time for the things you feel you must and of what is of most importance to you. You build quality friendships with friends you've had and friends you make instead of quantity. You don't wear make-up everyday or change your clothes every day when you're in a week where staying up until 3am doing homework is a necessity. You get and are possibly offered experiences based on your success you got because you stayed up until or go up at 3am that one morning to finish that research paper. Your hard work actually pays off and builds you up. Of course, there are challenging, knock down moments, but its all up to you, and it's awesome.
10. I started dating the love of my life here
It's common to hear that you meet your person once you get to college, and even though I didn't meet him here, I started dating him here, so that counts, right? To make a very long story compressed into a couple lines (or more), here we go. We went to the same summer camp at the same time as kids, went to high school together and sat right by each other for the majority of the year in senior year AP Psychology where I had a crush on him but he didn't know, but I knew he was something special. We ended up going to the same university and living in the halls right next to each other. After 4 months of being best friends, we became the bestest of friends and started dating our freshman year of college. He's my life buddy, he's my person, I owe so much of my success here to him for believing in me so greatly. God has a plan, and it will never cease to amaze me.
