College?
Views on College and Community College from the point of view of a random senior in High School, but made more fun.
welcome to my first topic of interest. and, of course, as i write about education, i will (probably) be writing with poor grammar, and in lowercase. why? because it looks cooler. so, let’s begin.
college. a word that is most talked about the second you walk into high school, probably your first class talks about how “you MUST pass this class. to graduate and go to college.” because high schools require you to sit around and mope during gym class volleyball. i don’t understand why gym class is a graduation requirement but that’s not the point.
let’s start over. college. a word that’s thrown around a lot especially in your high school years, and by your junior year, that’s when it really starts to become serious and quite possibly the next part of your education. but, a hot take that’s crossed my mind since i was probably 13 was always is college worth it? is college for me? and to this day, being a senior in high school and still not sure what i want, i’d say it really depends on what you want your future to look like. yes, you can most definitely go to school for 4 years or more, get a internship, and have an incredibly successful career, but you can also not go and still have one. i feel like whenever i put out this idea that “oh, maybe college isn’t for everyone”, someone’s grandma in ireland or some random ass country mopes to themselves because like many others, they believe college is the path for every kid in existence. but, in my humble opinion you don’t need a PhD, or a master’s in psychology to just be successful and make a six figure salary. i do think it depends on a lot though, and that’s what i’ll talk about now.
Dependencies
i feel like for many, this section is absolutely unnecessary because it may or not be super obvious, but bare with me…just for a little bit.
as kids, it was always put onto us that college is the exact path for us to go onto after high school, but i just feel like it depends on a lot. these dependencies being, for starters, what you want to do. and, by that i mean you don’t always need a specific degree to go into an certain industry. for example, someone who wants to become an entrepreneur (someone like me) may not need to be an entrepreneur major in college to become one. it really just takes an idea and a commitment to pursuing anything like that and many other things. an example of people who definitely needs an education are doctors, lawyers, politicians, economists (i think), biologists, etc. but, i just feel other career paths do not need you to have degrees in them.
another dependency is the cost. some people just cannot afford a 4 year university as the cost can be an upward of $20k per year for an in-state school and probably twice as much for out-of-state. even with fafsa and scholarships, the cost of school adds up fast, so some don’t really have a choice but to pursue something else outside of college.
and finally, a big one to me is being unsure of what the hell you really want at this moment of your life. by that, i mean not knowing if you want to go to a college directly after high school, along with not knowing if college is for you, and lastly not knowing what the hell to even do with your life (we’re like 12 guys, please relax, and let me get back to my game of animal crossing). i’ve had the question in my head constantly of: what if? what if i don’t like the school? what if college isn’t for me? what if i hate the mystery meat they give for meals? you get the point; just going into that unknown, and being unsure of what it could bring along. (and to wrap up this blob i’d like to point out that, yes, i do know the very vast majority of people have an amazing and incredible experience at college! …just not everyone obviously.)
The Stereotypes
in my opinion, i think the lives we live and what we go through (in the terms of growing up) is a complete stereotype by itself.
it mostly goes as follows:
WAKE UP! YOU WERE JUST BORN WOOHOO! WELCOME TO HELL, I MEAN THE WORLD!
you take your first steps, aww, you fell on your head 5 seconds after, silly goose! (maybe that’s what brought you here! to this weird article!!)
you go to pre-k and bite some kids leg. ew, go bite on something else!!
you go through elementary school; wow books are so cool! LORD ABOVE, we’re learning about penguins for a full year?!! why’s a donkey also called a cuss word?? (okay. maybe just my first grade experience).
middle school. nothing else needs to be said. actually, no scratch that, why the frick is there hair on THAT area?
high school. woah! you made it! hey, what’s that eyeliner doing over there?? and is that a bong lying around? and jeez, your best friend’s got a really hot mom??
junior year comes around and your parents ask what the hell you want to do with your life at age 17. (which for real, like I DONT KNOW MOM. I WORK AT A SHOPRITE FOR A LIVING RIGHT NOW)
senior year (the best. (hopefully)) and you write a 500 word essay that could determine the rest of your life, no pressure buddy! (you could be like me and write about shoes, it can be about donuts if you really wanted!) eventually, you start applying to some schools, and thinking A LOT more about your future because that’s either what you want to do or your 87-year-old of a grandmother is making you want to go to college.
miraculously, you get into a school. wow! didn’t think that would happen? hell, neither did i!
finally, you commit and attend ole miss! wait, why? oh, uhh because like everyone else is? okay! and lastly, you get a degree, find love with your best friend’s sister, (sorry, better luck with their mom next time) have some babies (ew), and live a short, dreadful life working! hooray!
okay, maybe, not ALL of that is realistic, but you get the point. most the things that we go through growing up lead us right to college because that’s the expectation/stereotype put onto us as children, and that’s what many are sure of is destined to happen. which, most of the time, it does, or you drop out, or even pursue something completely different.
also, for real, what’s the deal with ole miss? hotty toddy, i guess!
My Idea for Me and Community College
growing up, the idea of community college was also never really something i’d consider for myself. as my friends were mostly insensitive assholes (myself included. maybe that’s why we were all friends) or for some were very convinced that everything they said was right. so, as i got into high school, i was no longer friends with most of these people, but i’d still constantly hear like “oh, well, i REFUSE to go near a community college, they’re for stupid people” or in wrestling i’d get “oh yeah, zarin (my last name), pshh, you’re going to community college at best kiddo” (okay not exactly that, but i was teased about it here and there). the mere thought of considering a community college meant that you were either an idiot or just not smart enough to attend or get into a 4 year college/university. and, that idea got into my head fast. so, immediately even considering community college as an alternative was definitely a no for me. (ha! you thought, idiot!)
fast forward to now, april 6th, 2023, and here i am reconsidering everything having to do with college. i’ve gotten into almost every school i applied to (they were all about average schools, nothing to actually brag about). me personally, after a lot of thinking, am not sure i can see myself being at a 4 year school in august, not sure if i’m ready for it, and not sure if i’ll even like college (and after my parents spending $20k+ they probably will pray i become the next bill gates). so, my next best option is community college. although this option is still up in the air for me, i am generally heavily considering it for myself.
but, realistically, think about it. less cost to go, closer to home (which could be good and bad), you get an idea of weather college is for you, learn more about yourself as a student, and you get credits towards a normal 4 year school. what’s really so dumb about that? honestly? nothing.
i really tried to psychoanalyze my future because as i went on about before, i feel for many college is the norm, a stereotype that everyone does, and i want to make sure for myself that it’s definitely the right option for me. and, quite frankly as someone who’s always went into things head on and followed the norm, i think now’s a time for me to take a step back in my life, reconsider, and figure out what’s best for my career path (currently unsure exactly what, but i have a high interest in business and entrepreneurship). so, for me personally, based all around being unsure, i feel community college is my best option. the downside for me currently is thinking into it.
the thing with community college, is of course staying at home, while everyone else is out somewhere having the time of their lives. the way i thought about it earlier, is like as if i was waiting for the bus to pick me up at my stop, because everyone else was already on the bus. they were already on their way to their next destination, their path, and i’m left alone to watch. but, the other way to think about it is being comfortable with going into the unknown, weather that be community college or a regular 4 year school. college is what you make of it. anyone can be successful, college or not. it’s all about your choices in your life and the risks you take too, hell, even the failures. and, i hope this gave anyone reading some more to think about or even less to, whatever makes their lives easier!
-brandon
grandma please don’t find this! thanks for reading!
