What they dont tell you enough in college...

Whats the point of college? Is it REALLY to give you this fantastic four year education? Are we really supposed to be convinced that without Western Civilization or World Literature we wouldnt make it in the "real world"? I dont think thats the case. I dont think college is designed to fill your head with a ton of book knowledge that you can use in the real world. College in my mind is a place that has been created for immature kids to go and grow up. Its the last step in the school system that tests your ability to mature and grow as a human being. Tests on relationships, responsibility, reliability, faith, individuality, friendship, and hard work are more important than tests on accounting, biology, marketing, or theology. In the end I seriously question if my GPA is any more important than my ability to be able to do laundry.

Unfortunately, somewhere between high school graduation parties and this place that people call the "real world" none of what I just discussed is ever conveyed to us. We are told we have to study hard and get really good grades so we can get a good job. We are told that what we are learning in our classes will be important to know in the long run.

Dont get me wrong- classes are important, and getting good grades are important (kind of), and most people who graduate from college will leave with a ton of knowledge that can be used in the real world. But what people dont tell you often enough are the things that in my mind are as important as the things they do tell you.

1) Cherish your time at college and dont get bogged down by the work, bad professors, or a bad grade. Unless something REALLY bad happened, college is bound to be one of the best times of your life. Think about it....youre living on a campus of your choice, with all of your best friends. You get more vacation time than you will ever have in your life again, someone cooks all your food, and its totally normal to be up until 1am. Sounds good to me.

2) GET EXPERIENCE. Luckily Jack Cole told me this for 4.5 years straight. For the most part though I dont think we are told enough in our college years how important experience really is. At the end of the day, your grades are getting you a job, your resume/experience is. The thing is, it doesnt even matter where your experience is or what youre doing really. What matters is that you are getting experience in one form or another. Why do professors not convey this message? Without experience you land in the real world with a GPA, a degree, and no experience for "entry level" jobs that require EXPERIENCE.

3) Going along with my previous statements, its not stated enough how important networking is. In my experience, its not about what school you went to or how you did in class. Its about what experience you have and who you know. Experience -----> knowing more people. Its such a simple concept. Does it suck for those people who have really good grades and work really hard but dont know anyone? YUP. But thats life. The more people you know, the more likely you are to land a job.

I think colleges should change their curriculum. Instead of making people take classes like world lit or philosophy there should be classes on taxes and professional writing. Why not invent classes on real world finances, home buying, and job hunting? In my mind that would make sense if college is designed to prepare people for the real world.

Heres to college and all the things we learned there- in an out of the classroom.

Later days