Why college?
I recently completed a survey that asked me why I started my undergraduate education.
…and, to be honest, I don’t know why.
Perhaps that’s why I’ve struggled career-wise since graduating. Perhaps that’s why I think college a partial waste of time. And perhaps it's why I so often have something to say about it.
I don’t know why I went to college. I think it’s because it’s what I thought was expected of me. Or because getting a ‘well-rounded education’ by way of a 4-year degree seemed like a good thing to do.
Whatever the case, the irony isn’t lost. That I not only went to college without a clear reason for why I was there, only to leave without a clear vision for where I was going next is more than mere coincidence. I didn’t have a clear goal—or, more precisely, I had lots of vague goals, which is reason enough as to why I didn’t follow through.
It’s easy to get all up in arms about education. To advocate that all students take a bootcamp or to skip college completely. (I certainly have in the past.)
But I realize now it’s more nuanced than that. Because if you have a clear goal, if you know how getting a degree (from this program, from this university) will lead to point B, then, of course, you ought to get it. On the other hand, if you don’t have a clear vision for where you’re going, it doesn’t make much sense to take out a loan to get something you can’t define.
You can get your ‘well-rounded education’ elsewhere. Take a gap year. Start a business. Solve a problem. Lead a group. Volunteer your time and energy in something you care about. Regularly read, write, and mingle.
If you’ve got a goal. A clear one. One you care about enough to commit to long-term. Great. Stick to it. Reach for it. Make it happen. Get your degree if you have to, if it helps.
If not, don’t feel like you need to. You don’t. Explore the world and yourself (on the cheap) until you find a good reason to return to school (or don’t.)
Whatever route you choose, choose to know what you intend to get out of the experience. Whether it’s a good job or a new suite of skills, connections, community, or a promotion, being clear about what you want—first and foremost—is the best investment you can make on your journey in getting it.