It always seemed weird to me for people to go to college at 18. By then I’d had more than enough of formal schooling. The thought of four more years depressed me. Of course, everyone told me I needed higher education for a good job. With that in mind I signed up for a two year program. I lasted one semester.
Dropping out was the best thing I ever did. By the time my friends were graduating from college I was married, had two kids, and bought a house. When times got tough I always thought that it was still better than high school.
All good things come to an end. Due to an injury I had to live my job and take some time to recover. After two years I was still a mess, but healthy enough to sit in a classroom. At the age of 37 I found myself back in college.
If you separate college from employment it can be really enjoyable. Going to college as a financial decision kinda sucks. Too bad that’s the way the system is rigged. My school bills were paid as part of my “rehabilitation.” Without worrying about the money I decided to take courses that I wanted to take and pursue my passions. It was a pleasure. My first year I was a 4.0 student and never dropped out of the honor rolls. That’s because I was having fun.
From a development standpoint going to college in your 30s or later is much better. By then you know who the heck you are. You also have enough sense of self not to believe everything you are told. There’s something to be said for real world experience.
That did get in trouble sometimes. For grins and giggles I took a business course. No matter how hard the professor tried I kept thinking like labor instead of management. The just in time business model was the big thing. Probably still is, for all I know. The professor didn’t like me pointing out how tiny supply disruptions could shut the whole process down. The professor really didn’t like when I pointed out unions could target a small segment of an industry and bring everything to a halt. Then it happened that a company that made brake parts went on strike and shut down auto manufacturing across the board. Turns out being right doesn’t make one popular.
Still, I got over it. So what if a professor wasn’t too thrilled with me? No one was shooting at me. I wasn’t jumping into burning buildings. When you get a little older you get some perspective.
In a more perfect world we’d go to college if and when we really wanted to. Ideally after we’ve lived a bit.
-Sixbears
Yeah, our government should mandate a required 5 year delay on getting your college education. Some time to access where you really want your Life to lead you. Some time to work and save up so your school loan may be reduced (or even eliminated). Kids already are delaying the age they want to get married and start a family - this time could be wisely spent pursuing your interests, growing up to realize this time is well spent.
ReplyDeleteSome careers require so much training to get the advanced degree neede that starting young is almost mandatory. Medicine is the most noted. You need 12-14 years, sometimes more to become competent at a basic level. Other careers can wait. And many people should never go to college. The point of college now is to enslave people with debt and to brainwash trm with the lefts agenda. The "education" system was perverted and suborned by the commies decades ago.
DeleteI'm not really keen on the government mandating something like that, but for a lot of people it's a good idea. In some developed countries you don't have to go broke to get an education so that's a factor.
DeleteLooking at the money it takes for college these days it looks more like the work of Capitalists.
I returned to College in my early 40's. I graduated Suma Cum Laude at the top of my class. And yes I do believe it was because of my age and the liking of the learning stuff. I agree that education at a little older self brings a different kind of benefit. That's just cause when I was younger my focusing skills where that of a gnat, slow to mature and all that. However, there are a few youthful smarties that benefit from a younger education. Generally they become the bosses. But at my age, I have adopted the I don't give a bleep attitude. Works for me.
ReplyDeleteAt a certain age the learning is the fun part of college.
DeleteTurns out being right doesn’t make one popular.
ReplyDeleteSibyl wasn't exactly invited to parties in Greece.
Popularity is over rated.
Deleteyeah, i went military then college. i was a bit older than everyone and i could see the tripe some instructors were putting out. i learned quickly to feed them the tripe back and take the "a" rather than argue and get a "d".
ReplyDeleteI noticed the Vets were so much more mature than those right out of college, even though they weren't all that much older. The out of high school students would moan, complain and stress about assignments. The Vets just buckled down and did the work
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