College, eh?

Contributor: Speak Coffee

I'm kind of nostalgic about college. I liked my undergrad experience and I think I'm better for it. I liked the classes I took, the professors who taught them, the friends that I made and what I learned about life and about myself.

There was a lot of college that helped me deal with the real world. I spent time learning how to interview but that's not even what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is learning poise. There are so many people my age who lack it. And while I may lack readily employable skills in a field that I like at least I can carry myself with confidence. I am aware of my appearance and presence and the fact that modifying both of those can influence others. Either making them feel more comfortable, more put off or more intimidated.

No, I didn't learn a trade in college. But I don't think I really went there to learn a trade. My small liberal arts school didn't teach trades. Even the computer science major was all theory and background and those students had to learn new programming languages the minute they were employed. But they sat on top of theories my university had taught. It was definitely a college that taught you how to think. Liberal arts schools supposedly are, and this one was no exception. And if that was the goal then I am pleased with the outcome.

I've said it before, my university does not prepare students for the real working world. It prepares them marvelously for graduate school. Which I have applied to (both the failed law attempt and the MFA attempt). Now that I think about it a lot of students from my school go on to be lawyers. I will start a new track this fall on the English & creative writing path. It is after all, what I have been prepared for.

However, I know students who did exactly what I did but knew they wanted to go into business so they worked their connections and the university's connections and got their first jobs doing things they found interesting. I could have done that ... except I wasn't interested.

Now I find that I don't have enough experience to beat out others who want the same positions as me, but I am too well educated to be happy doing menial work. Conundrum!

At least my education allows me to analyze and identify this.