_12:34
Going back to College
As you’ve probably already figured out by reading my last post I’m going back to college. My hope is that my thirst for knowledge is met and isn’t ruined by the homework and tests. However I think it may.
I really just want to get a degree in something so I can start marketing myself and get that one perfect job that makes life worth living. No - I don’t put my whole life’s purpose on my work but like any person - It’s got a pretty big share.
On January 5 I’ll be walking into my first college English class. I’ll be learning about various writing styles and hopefully improving my writing here on The Paragon. The other part of my week will be filled with classes ono Sociology.
So my Tuesday and Thursday nights from 18:00 - 22:00 will be filled with learning new concepts and ways of doing things.
posted on December 7, 2002 | 12:33 PM EST
Add to the discussion.
Okay, so college isn’t going to be all fun and games. You’ll probably have some cool professors that can expand your horizons.
Face it, if you’re not a rock-star or football player it’s pretty tough to have a fullfilling career without the “piece of paper”.
Also, don’t kid yourself, a job isn’t going to allow you to live happily ever after. It is a good start. It will put food on the table, put a roof over your head, clothing for your bod, and help with transportation.
I know it doesn’t help saying it but a lot of us have been where you are now. Bad economy, less than fullfilling job…
You already have the most important stuff. Faith (in Him) Love (for your fellow man and from your family and friends).
Stiff upper lip, determination, and HEY… don’t expect that iMac on the 16th and you won’t be disappointed!!
You can do it, Aaron. In a few years we’ll be reading about the good things you are accomplishing. You just have to pay your dues.
Not so sure I totally agree with that.
1- Bill Gates was a drop out.
2- A college degree will not put a roof over your head. I think that if you looked into it, you would find that there is a very high percentage of people with college degrees that are working at Burger King.
Aaron, I think the key here is to be passionate about living life and loving people. If getting a degree helps, then by all means, get a degree. If not, don’t waste the money.
I’m in college more for the stuff I’ll learn. It never hurt anyone to go to college though. Bill Gates did however go to college for awhile. Michael Dell started DELL in college and then moved out once it started getting big.
The biggest thing is to obtain information and invest what you’ve learned into life. Alot of people miss that.
Granted, a degree in and of itself won’t provide for you. If you play the statistics game, on average, those with a degree are better off financially than those without.
Being exposed to high level educators (profs) is a good thing. The best part of my college education was learning how to learn.
Quite a few years ago, Dr. William A. Williams, told our enginnering class that a degree wasn’t necessary. He believed that a person would end up where they should be as a result of their ambition and intelligence. He said it would just take a little longer without a degree. In 19— he was right. The world has changed since then.
In Germany and Japan their “high school” educations are more comparable to our bachelor’s degree.
Most of us don’t have the discipline to keep learning throughout our lives. It’s far too easy to sit in front of the television and assume that the Discover Channel and History Channel will fill that gap.
Think about how much more information you can absorb READING for an hour versus watching and listening for an hour. Any “report” on information or news carries with it the “spin” that the reporter puts on the story. It’s second or third hand information.
Remember “Ignorance can be fixed, stupid is forever.”
PS
If not going to college makes me Bill Gates, that’s a good reason to go :-)
Whoops - I forgot to say. Davenport College.
Note from sappy supportive girlfriend …
I’m proud of Aaron for taking the initiative to go back to school … a decision made on his own to pursue knowledge - degree seeking or not … I am very proud of him.
You GO Jodi! Knowledge is power! Keep being supportive!
Remember what Spiderman’s Uncle Ben said ” With great power comes great responsibility.”
One of the wisest men I know got a great education from ‘The Book of Knoweldege’. I doubt that it’s still in print. He read it when he was ill and couldn’t go to school some eighty years ago.
If he’d had the opportunity to attend college he probably would have been a Doctor of medicine. Instead he was a meat cutter (butcher) for sixty years. Yeah that’s sixty+!
He insisted that his kids attend college because he wanted them to have a better time of it than he did. I don’t think he meant just financially.
He didn’t ‘make them go. They knew it would disappoint him if they didn’t attend and respected his opinions. They also knew that if it was that important to him it should be so for them.
I can be sappy too ;)
Okay, okay. So you responded to my bill gates thing, but come on, that was the smallest part of my post! And it was fairly sarcastic!
Joel said: “A college degree will not put a roof over your head. I think that if you looked into it, you would find that there is a very high percentage of people with college degrees that are working at Burger King.”
Umm - so where’s the research? I’m going to go out on a limb and say that you’re wrong on this one. Whereas SOME people with degrees might be working at Burger King or places of the such. A much higher percentage is doing something better.
I will play in the factor of our current economic condition. However, I think more people are simply becoming homeless (Sentinel Article) or trying to work with Manpower than places like Burger King.
Side note: As of a couple days ago Manpower is not taking people. That’s how busy they are. This could however have changed by the time you may read this.
Again, the point I was trying to make was completely dodged. Giving up….
The machine wants you in college.
It needs more well oiled and molded gears to fill the orders that the new world order is demanding.
Don’t worry about gaining the degree and then failing only to flip burgers… they’ll at least give you
managorial duties.
If you’re mindset is that of a rat race - chasing your own tail unaware of your surroundings. Working like a tank and only surviving on paychecks. Scared of not having money and in return forcing yourself to work more and more thinking you’ll one day become randomly rich - then yea, you’ll more than likely become the machines gears.
On the other hand you could educate yourself. Buy Assets instead of liabilities you think are assets. Your job then becomes your profession and your business becomes your assets. Allowing you NOT to be controlled by the machine, the man, or whomever - but controlling your own destiny.
I’m finishing up my fourth year of college. And I’m thinking about 2 more, maybe even 5 more if I get a PhD. For me, college was an extension of high school.
Today, I’ve been questioning my choices and my crazy desire to attend even more school. I’m still not sure why, but I’m doing it. How’s that for a reason to attend school… just because. I think one thing that has driven me more than anything is my desire to be in God’s kingdom and do everything I can to live my life for Him. And if it requires school, then it does.
Aaron, as for you, it’s obvious that God has it in his plan for you to try and attend school… again.
Here’s another tid bit… Sunday morning in the shower, I came to the realization that all I want in life is to be able to wake up on Saturdays at 7am and go to the Windmill and have a cup of coffee and some good food. Is that too much to ask for?
Howard Says:
Okay, so college isn’t going to be all fun and games. You’ll probably have some cool professors that can expand your horizons.
Face it, if you’re not a rock-star or football player it’s pretty tough to have a fullfilling career without the “piece of paper”.
Also, don’t kid yourself, a job isn’t going to allow you to live happily ever after. It is a good start. It will put food on the table, put a roof over your head, clothing for your bod, and help with transportation.
I know it doesn’t help saying it but a lot of us have been where you are now. Bad economy, less than fullfilling job…
You already have the most important stuff. Faith (in Him) Love (for your fellow man and from your family and friends).
Stiff upper lip, determination, and HEY… don’t expect that iMac on the 16th and you won’t be disappointed!!
You can do it, Aaron. In a few years we’ll be reading about the good things you are accomplishing. You just have to pay your dues.