Why College is so Important. (I hate being broke)

[xj6jaguar1985]

First things first :
Eric Clapton is awesome.

Okay now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me explain the title.

Yes weeks ago I was against College but it all came together today. I didn't fall asleep until 4AM aided by NyQuil because I was stressing out about how I'm going to get back up North to Rhode Island.

See I adopted that cat (See "Which Cat Should I Get?" post) 7 days ago because I had NO IDEA I would be moving back up North. I called my mother...Uhmmm...lemme go check ...Ah okay...on Monday I called her so the ball got rolling on Tuesday.

Yeah the cat is getting progressively healthier and he's growing quite fond of me, but I have to be realistic: My dad pretty much hinted he wants nothing to do with the cat as he said "What are you gonna do with the cat? Give it back to Andrea? (The place where I got him from.) Because you can't take him back up North." I told my stepmother about what my mom said - My cat would need all of his shots and to be neutered before he came back up north with me. Well all of that is going to cost at least $200 and on top of that, he [The cat] really doesn't like going in his catbox as he seems to go wherever he pleases as he was once an outdoor cat.

Thus if I brought him back up North, my mom and stepfather would flip (Pancakes..lol) and force me to get rid of him which would mean I would have to give him to a shelter and God knows what kind of life he would live after that.

I mean yeah I'll feel awful about giving him back to this lady, but what else am I supposed to do? My dad and stepmom have made it clear they don't want him with little hints. I'd like him to at least be free, know what I mean? This lady told me she found him running around outside one day anyways so all I would have to tell her is spend the $10 a month and get revolution and put it on his neck and keep him inside and he'll be fine.

On top of that, this ticket really hurts my wallet. $250 would've been perfect for me to pay for gas, food and a hotel...Now I have to sell my $600 drumset for $200...

Folks, I can't stress it enough: College is SO important nowadays...Find something you love and get a degree relevant to that field. I'm blessed with the fact I have family that will take me in and even pay for my education, I can't thank God or whatever is up there enough for that. I'm also blessed that New England is #1 in the country for Automotive. Sometimes you have to sacrifice things in your life now to make your life a whale of a lot better down the road. Some people can tolerate living hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck....I can't...I'm tired of that. I had a taste of the good life two years ago when I was making $60,000 a year and yeah more money = more problems....But it's a lot easier on yourself when you have the money to NOT have to stay up til 4am fretting about how you're going to get by the next week.

 

[Qua Sar]

Thanks for the advice, i am sure many will read it and be better off for it. It's a great message.

 

[CrimsonRequiem]

Well if you are going to a traditional college, it might be a little different. I thought I loved the field I was going to study and it turns out I don't. Now I have to suck it up and double major or add another concentration which will add at the very least another year.

Been in school for 5 years now and my parents are constantly on my case about how come I'm not out of school and working full time. They want me to move back east with them, but I don't think that's happening since they practically harass me every week over the phone.

 

[Qua Sar]

If you don't mind me asking, what major and how did you learn you didnt' like it? And if you don't like it since you are still in college why don't you drop that major and then add another.

 

[CrimsonRequiem]

If you don't mind me asking, what major and how did you learn you didnt' like it? And if you don't like it since you are still in college why don't you drop that major and then add another.

I feel like I wasted 4 years of my life trying to study something that I don't really even need a degree in, is basically what I'm saying. I rather not say what it is because I don't want to put anyone off it.

 

[Clueless]

College is SO important nowadays...Find something you love and get a degree relevant to that field.

I couldn't agree more I'm at uni studying journalism (I love writing) and i am having the best time of my life.
Not only do I love the freedom of not living with my parents, but I've made some great mates.

Not only am i learning a great subject, but i am learning life lessons too - namely how to handle my finances. I am significantly skint now

But i wouldn't trade this experience for the world. Roll on the next two and a half years!!!

 

[Qua Sar]

Well,
i think the major also depends if you like it in college becuase my college at least teaches the skills needed, BUT you don't really roll it all totether/use it until n internship/job.

 

[cheesybanana]

College is not for everyone. I have seen so many people enroll in college because they felt it was what everyone wanted them to do. It usually ends up being a waste of both the year and the ten to twenty thousand dollars for tuition.

Not that I disagree entirely. I love college. But not everyone wants it or even needs it.

 

[Audio.Trench]

College is not for everyone. I have seen so many people enroll in college because they felt it was what everyone wanted them to do. It usually ends up being a waste of both the year and the ten to twenty thousand dollars for tuition.

Not that I disagree entirely. I love college. But not everyone wants it or even needs it.

I can vouche for this.

EDIT: Deja Vu? I thought me, and several other people replied to this? :s

 

[xj6jaguar1985]

I went over this before guys when I wanted to stop getting my Liberal Arts degree. You may think it's "Meaningless" and "Useless" but it shows your potential employer that you have the discipline to stick things out and actually go through something which could either be the difference of:

A. Getting that nice job you want.
or
B. Getting an extra $20,000 a year.

Here, I'll use myself as an example:
You're a car dealership, you're looking for help. Would you want someone that's just ASE certified or someone who has a Liberal Arts degree, a degree in Automotive Engineering AND is ASE certified?

Look degrees are just a piece of paper...Yes I understand that...What kind of recession-proof, long lasting job can you work at without a College Diploma? Say you want to work on cars...Okay, you didn't go to college...You're certified to work on cars...Awesome you're 24 and you're making $50,000 a year. You're going to peak at 60K and that's it because you don't have a College diploma to be a shop supervisor. 50-60K is a lot at my age, but when you're 40 and you have kids, a mortgage and other BS it's not.

Say in 20 years I get tired of cars....I want to teach now...Oh look at that! I have a Liberal Arts degree! I can just go to College for 2 years and I can teach! I can retire from cars, collect a pension and live off of that while I'm a teacher!

The right College diploma opens up the world to you whether you believe it or not.

 

[cheesybanana]

I certainly realize the importance of college for entering the professional world. But you must understand that there are some career paths that do not require a degree, and I am not simply referring to fast food and temp jobs. Many extremely successful businessmen that I know personally dropped out of college and never received their degree.

And, of course, Bill Gates?

 

[Dysfunction]

Bill is hardly the norm. It'd be very difficult (although not impossible) to work where I do without a degree.

 

[Scribs20]

i am in college now and it seems like to get a job that will make you a decent paycheck (throwing out the whole getting lucky theory of dropping out of college) requires a college degree and even now it seems a lot of my friends i talk to are planning on attending grad school just to get ahead. I know i will be attending grad school (only 6 years of school left for me...)

 

[Audio.Trench]

You forgot to mention, that when you're making that $50K/year, you'll be paying back the $50K you borrowed to get there.

 

[Scribs20]

yeah that is the downside, especially if college isnt for you. At least (as of now) i wont need any loans

 

[Audio.Trench]

If I could afford to go back to college, I probably would, just to have that piece of paper.

The courses I'm interested in are more costly than most "typical" courses. I'm thinking about just taking a couple of Adobe courses to show I'm certified with those pieces of software.

There's no such thing as a diploma for being artistically creative.

 

[Scribs20]

yeah thats not a bad idea, never hurts to be certified for software. especially adobe. good luck to you if thats what you decide to do!

 

[Dysfunction]

There's no such thing as a diploma for being artistically creative.

No, but the portfolio you can develop in school helps when you're just starting your career. It also will expose you to ideas and techniques you'd never bother to putz with on your own.

 

[xj6jaguar1985]

You forgot to mention, that when you're making that $50K/year, you'll be paying back the $50K you borrowed to get there.

Yes, for a whole $250 a month.

Many extremely successful businessmen that I know personally dropped out of college and never received their degree.

And, of course, Bill Gates?

...You're kidding me right? Did you just compare you not going to college to Bill Gates? He got lucky and name these "Many successful business-people" you're talking about please.

I'm about to go South Park "Rabble-Rabble-Rabble" in here....

 

[cheesybanana]

...You're kidding me right? Did you just compare you not going to college to Bill Gates? He got lucky and name these "Many successful business-people" you're talking about please.

I am going to college. Please re-read my posts before commenting.

And the business people I know are local, so naming them would be meaningless.

EDIT: And Bill Gates did not get lucky. He is an intelligent man who, without the help of college, changed the world. Not going to college does not mean that you will be a Bill Gates. But neither does going to college. Intelligence is key, no matter who you are.