Millennial this, Millennials that. Seems to be all you hear nowadays. I guess i am lumped into this group, being born in 1990 and coming of age in the mid to late 2000s. But for some reason, I could not be farther away from this group.
Throughout high school, I was a very dedicated student. I accomplished all my work when needed and received high marks in a majority of my classes. There was always one recurring theme that was pushed by the faculty: COLLEGE. The school was preparing us men, it was an all-boys Catholic school, for careers in the "business" world. A college diploma was deemed necessary to succeed in this venture and would apparently enlighten us to a whole other level of intelligence. With most classes, there were students who could barely accomplish their work and pass. But this cult of "higher education" was enveloping these students as well and pushing them into this forced rite of passage. The majority did as they were told they must do, apply and attend at least some form of college. Of course, a few chose the military as they option to serve their county and see the world.
Unlike most, I mainly engaged in the charade that i was applying to universities and was willing to attend in the coming fall. While one of my fellow students applied to 15 colleges, I chose 4 to keep the administration off of my back. When the year finished and time came to register for college classes, i opted to take a year off. At the time, i was working full time in a wholesale beverage warehouse and was making decent money. At times, i was working 6 days a week, in the excess of 10 hours a day, making decent pay. When the time came to take the placement test for the upcoming winter enrollment, i decided to at least take the exams to show i was going with the crowd. Prior to the testing, I encountered much hostility from friends, neighbors and curious folk who would frequently enquire about my status as an upcoming student. When the time came to decide upon classes and begin registration, i simply could not give up a job with guaranteed income for a financially strained existence as a full time student. It would not only deprive myself, but also my family of any needed financial assistance for the household.
Sticking with my own beliefs and not going with the masses helped me to see the world in a different view. While working, i gained a valuable education that is more than likely not taught in schools. I learned that sacrifice, responsibility, punctuality and common sense are key factors in succeeding in any type of business. I was up most mornings at dawn and would return home when the sun was going down. If you didn't put in the work, as a business owner or employee, you would suffer and all others associated would suffer too. These things are not taught in college, which only seems to enable a prolonged adolescence.
The message that I'm trying to get through is that this generation needs to take a long, hard look at themselves. One of the most important things a person can have is integrity, independence and individuality. This mass movement, and often compulsory, that is garnered toward college enrollment needs to be reevaluated. It is obvious that colleges have latched onto the government-backed loan market and are exploiting it to their advantage. A college education is a necessity for some professions, but entry level work often does not need it. Some jobs reject applicants because they are overqualified. Trade school is an option, which pays out much more than some degrees and gives you a skill that can be taken anywhere. The path i took was a rather different one, work full-time and explore other options. I got an education, but not in the accepted mainstream sense. If this generation simply valued individuals and their own goals, we would not be in the mess that we are currently in.
hiveblocks