Don't Frack with College!

Imagine you are standing at the base of a mountain, preparing to climb. Many have already climbed this mountain, and some will climb it many times before the end of their lives. Some never make it to the top, some take stops along the way, and some rush to the peak as quickly as they can. Many never make it to the base of the mountain at all. And some who were told they could climb the mountain turn their backs in search of another way to the other side. You may have assumed I mean to compare life with this mountain, however, life is the mountain range. College is the mountain, and it is one I fear many take for granted.

In high school, we struggle to understand how much of our lives have yet to be lived. Only until college do we begin to catch glimpses of how expansive life truly is; we see, quite suddenly, how far it reaches and how much it changes with time. The college experience opens our eyes to the vastness of the world while simultaneously giving us insight into ourselves. It is a time that is as meditative and self-reflective as it is chaotic and destructive. But the necessity of a degree nowadays in order to “make it” overshadows the incredibly unique opportunity we have to learn. Classes become requirements and internships resume fillers, rather than tools for intellectual growth, while eventual monetary success denigrates personal growth. Many of us face monumental personal challenges for the first time, all while beginning to establish who we are, and where we are headed.  Our knowledge of the significance of politics, religion, and science (among other matters) evolves into a true understanding of their relevance to us, and their profound affect on our world. Tragically, societal pressures have stripped college down to a factory, producing degree-holding citizens eligible for work. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Imagine you are standing on a ledge half way up the mountain. You can see both where you began and the peak where your journey ends. You can see around to the other side. It spreads for miles, full of summits and canyons, rivers and waterfalls, deserts and rainforests. And there are countless paths ahead from which to choose once you reach the top. Some are precarious, with flimsy bridges, adventures to be had, and battles to be fought. Some are safe, with enough comforts to settle down, raise a family, and live well until the end of your days. College is not a feat to be taken lightly, but one attempted with full understanding of its purpose and respect for its offerings, beyond the classes you take and the grades you get. You could go blindly through the motions, and leave saying, “I did what I was supposed to, are you happy now?” Or you could preserve the beauty of this path we are on by acknowledging every challenge and triumph, both emotional and intellectual, allowing it to become a transformative journey.