What a week. I am starting to wonder about a number of things. I have gone through life with the opinion that what I think about the world is usually pretty accurate. Not only is it accurate, it’s correct. In some ways, I know most certainly that I am wrong – probably 50% of the time. In other ways, however, I am pretty confident in my views.
I’ve recently heard many college graduates talk as if a job, career, money, respect, responsibility, etc. is owed to them. As if when they graduate, the world at that point, owes them something. I understand that after one goes through four more years of school one might expect to have an easier time getting a position they have wanted for some time. However, expecting a job to come to you (especially in our economy) is absurd. And, it’s not simply the degree that gets you a job, it’s what else you do with your time while in college. This is something of which I am quite certain.
I graduated from WWTC, or as my friend Andrew calls it “more high school,” in 2006. At that point I was certain that it was just a matter of days until somebody discovered my genius. It ended up being a matter of many months, a move to Minneapolis, a lot of money foolishly spent on courses in Madison, and about a dozen trips out of town to job interviews. I found out quickly that nobody owed me anything and I didn’t get hired by anyone.
Eventually I got a job that I liked, but didn’t want to make a career out of it. So I quit and came back to Viterbo. I thought that this time would be different. I honestly thought that because I was on a bigger campus – a University campus, mind you, this would mean that knowledge would come pouring out of the walls and into my brain through osmosis. I was under the assumption that I would imbibe so much information at this school from professors, garden gnomes, and educated wizards that I would go home sick each day. Well, that was just an illusion. It’s an illusion most people have about college. It’s understandable, but if you are looking to get a lot out of your education simply by showing up, you’re going to be disappointed. I just realized this a few weeks ago.
Barry’s little brother is heading off to Madison this fall and he was asking Barry and I about what he should expect from college. Barry, the wiser of the two of us, told Alex that college isn’t so much what they (professors, scholars, lecturers, etc.) give to you, but what you put into it. When I was younger I was also under the impression that college was about sitting in class rooms and getting your mind blown by earth shattering concepts and theories about almost anything. The honest truth is that the best classes I’ve taken at VU have been World Religions with Dr. Reese and Spanish 101 with Jason McAtee. If we’re being honest here, my marketing and management classes have offered me some valuable insight, but they haven’t revolutionized my way of thinking. I opted to take World Religions and Spanish. I chose to volunteer my time coaching and writing for different magazines and individuals. I chose to get active in clothing drives and got lucky in meeting Pat so that I could write this blog and in the Strides magazine. Most of what I have learned in the past 2 years at The U has been outside the Dahl School of Business.
I’m affectionate towards Viterbo because I have had a great two years while attending this University. But, it wasn’t the University that made me become active in living and giving. They simply encourage and promote this behavior. But, like anything else in life, it’s all about what you put into it. College can and will be a great stretch of years for any individual who can shatter the illusion of college professors bending spoons and peeling paint with their minds. It’s not happening at Harvard and it’s not happening at Viterbo.
My friend Tony was telling me last week that he heard from business students (his freshman year – 3.5 years ago) as they enter college that they are going to start their own business – everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. Naturally, Tony asked them what company they plan to start and they had no idea. Which is fine – most people don’t know exactly what they want to do when they are 18. But, after four years of exposure to thoughts, ideas, and opportunities to get involved and form opinions, many students still have no idea what they want to do. And this is the interesting part. Then you ask what internships they had – none. What other experience do they have – none. Where have they worked during college – nowhere. Have they branched out and made new friends, read any interesting literature, had any original thoughts, traveled anywhere, etc. – not likely.
College is great. But, it’s just another four years of your life and a lot of debt if not used correctly.
Excellent freaking point!