Posted On: April 5, 2010
Yes, it’s true, as they say college isn’t for everyone, but that demographic is quite minute. In fact, even if you are considering a degree in some sort of physical labor practice such as a field technician or electrician you need to earn some type of certification in order to learn the basic skills required to do the job. Picturing yourself trudging through years of books, late night study sessions, exams, quizzes, projects, and note-taking probably sounds like the least amount of fun you could ever have in your whole life. But you if you talk to most people who have finished college they will most likely tell you it was one of the greatest experiences they’ve ever had.
In hindsight college is mostly viewed by former students as a life changing experience. It’s probably one of the few instances in your life in which you will be forming more relationships than you ever have before and uploading more knowledge into your data-base of a brain than ever before too. The combination is like some unique chemistry that swirls inside your head in a beautiful fugue of elements to leave you changed and evolved.
Around the age of 18 we tend to begin a new developmental process in which we start to discover who we are as adults, what makes us who we are, our opinions, tastes, etc. This is usually encouraged and elaborated by your high intake of knowledge at a learning institution. The coincidence that we attend college from ages 18 to 24 at the same time we go through this developmental process isn’t coincidence at all. It’s the ideal time for these particular events to find sequence with each other.
The reason most people contest that this period of time is the best of their lives accounts for various factors. One, they exude vitality and strength which enables them to work harder, study harder and have more fun than they probably ever will in their lifetime. Two, the period in which their cognitive thinking becomes concreted, and the exuberant feeling of discovery, can be an incredibly cathartic one. And finally, three, by meeting new people who don’t share the same background as you (cultural or otherwise), you can learn a new understanding of the different points of view, cultural opinions, and religious views that you might not have otherwise been exposed to. These types of revelations can translate to a more worldly view and make you a more empathic person which strengthens you into a greater human being.
Aside from the metaphysical aspects, there are more materialistic benefits of a college education. In today’s economy your income can mean an immense difference in stability and security for you and your family. It’s important to invest your time in something that will help you achieve that. College graduates on average earn about $10,000 to $30,000 a year more than those with just high school diplomas and if you choose to continue your education even further in a specialized field of study or work to earn a master’s or a prestigious doctorate you could be earning $100,000 or more a year in salary. For a small investment of your youth that takes two to four years of hard work you could reap big benefits for the rest of your life.
Other monetary benefits worth mentioning for college graduates is that studies show they tend to be healthier, happier, raise children who are better prepared academically, and tend to have a greater sense of self-worth. It would seem that taking the time to prepare yourself for a short term investment could lead to a lifetime of security and growth that can’t be matched by much else.