When I talk to a "gown up" (anyone over maybe 40?) about college, they often remince about their time at school. They talk about classes, their friends, drinking, getting in trouble, and all sorts of things. Sometimes, I wonder if I will end up the same way. In 20 years, will I reminisce of the days of college? Will I miss the situations and stories that I am living today?
In daily life, I tend to focus and dwell on things that are bad. The campus food isn’t healthy, I have a test tomorrow, the ceiling in my dorm is too low so I have to slouch a lot to use my laptop in bed, I have too much homework, I’m broke, my roommate snores, and the list goes on. These issues compound, resulting in my outlook on college being fairly negative. If asked, I would not hesitate to state that “college sucks” or that “school is terrible”. I often think about how nice it will be when I graduate and can have a real job, with a real paycheck that affords things such as no roommates and parts to repair my car.
However, sometimes I question if my time here is really that bad. This is an especially interesting question when considering the social life and opportunities college offers: I have an excellent network of friends, classmates, and professors. I am gaining useful experience through my work for my department, and the work and designs I make for an engineering club I am a member of. The church I attend near campus has a wonderful congregation, where I have more friends. And I get to sleep until noon on Monday and Friday.
I feel that as I age, “grow up”, and join the workforce, making friends will be difficult. After college, I don’t think people socialize with others outside of work, especially when they have kids. Perhaps that it what “grown ups” miss most about college – not the homework, exams, and associated stress, but the friends and social activities that can only be afforded when 13,000 20-or-so year olds are in the same area.
So yes, I think that someday, I will reminisce about college.
This is my first of maybe a few blog entries that I am comfortable publishing online. Perhaps more will end up on this site, although I can make no guarantees as to when (or if) more will be added.
-JS