All of us at one time or another have heard someone say, “They have their lives figured out, they are going to college, and they are going to be successful.” I know I heard many people say this about other people, and I have heard people say it about me too. However; I do not necessarily agree. Since when does having your life figured out entail you going to college? I went to college for four years, and I can tell you I did not have anything figured out after graduation. I said to myself, “Now what?” So no, college really does not at all mean that you have it all figured out because a year later, I still do not have it all figured out. I think there is this misconception that people have about people in college. I think so many people look at college students and say, “They have career goals and they are going somewhere after they graduate”; That’s awesome that people think that way, but a lot of times it is so untrue. Many of us spend so much time learning out of a textbook about what we are going to be doing, and not enough time in the field, that we really do not know what our future career path is going to be like. Which is exactly why so many of us change our minds post-graduation.
I would also like to know how going to college makes me more likely to be successful than someone else. I have worked with many people in my life who did not hold college degrees, but I would still classify them as successful. Success does not come from a four-year degree, people. It is not like once you step off the stage, you have people calling you up to offer you some fancy job that pays all of your expenses. I mean, I wished that’s how it worked, but it’s not. People often say, “You have a degree you are more than qualified.” or my favorite, “You are more than qualified; I am sure you did more than this in school.” To be quite honest with everyone, 85% of my college career was spent writing papers or taking tests. I really did not get a huge amount of hands-on experience in my field. Therefore, I am probably no more qualified to handle certain situations than anyone else. Yes, I learned about certain scenarios in a textbook, but have I ever actually had to use it? Fun fact: the answer is NO. They say that you will not know what to do in a situation until you are actually faced with it. They were not kidding. Unfortunately, the first time I was faced with many situations where I had to make instant decisions, I could not just get a text book and whip it open to find out the answer. What I am really getting at here is that my degree does not automatically mean I know everything about the field I am working in. Certainly other people in the field who do not possess a degree could be better at handling certain situations than myself. I am really unsure why so many people are so quick to say, “Great you have a degree, you clearly know what is going on.”
Another fun fact: Most times I don’t. So many people look down upon those who do not have a degree because they are somehow “unsuccessful” or are lacking “hard work”. A college degree does not determine how passionate you are about your field, or your ability to make a difference. A college degree does not make you a better person and it certainly does not add to your personality (which many people seem to be lacking these days, just throwing it out there). Yes, I have a college degree, yes I worked hard for it, but it does not define me and it certainly does not make me better, more qualified, or “together” than those who do not possess a degree. So to those of you who want to further your education I say do it! But do it for the right reasons. Do not think that a college degree is going to make the world fall in your lap, you will still have to work for what you want. Do not think that a degree will suddenly make your life “come together” (I mean sometimes it does, but not right away). Above all, do not forget where you started and never look down on those who chose a different path. A college degree an accomplishment that takes dedication, but it is certainly not everything.
