By Jack White
Education is very important in our lives. Learning new things every day develops our ability to communicate with others and integrate in the society. We become aware of the social issues present nowadays, stand up for justice when it is the case, and get an international perspective of worldwide debated problems.
Attending college can be life changing. Investing in education is one of the best actions any person could take. Why? Because it is a long-time investment which brings strong outcomes with it. College means knowledge, and knowledge can never be stolen or taken away. Knowledge is powerful, and it can change the world. Attending college is an extremely profitable investment in any student’s future.
I’ll give you five reasons to sign up for college today. Take a look!
1. International Perspective
Going to college will open up new doors and perspectives for any student. Meeting new people, understanding new cultures, involving on campus – all these activities shape us, and make us more aware of what’s happening worldwide.
Being exposed to an international setting develops inclusive, open-minded characteristics within ourselves. Being offered the chance to be part of such a great environment, any student will develop strong personality traits that will play an important role in his or her future.
Opening our eyes and seeing objectively through the stereotypical lens society creates is a big step forward. Accepting new cultures, points of view, and opinions feels amazing. We become integrative, open, and we realize how much we’ve missed. We live in a globalized world, so we must accept differences and start opening up. Exposing ourselves to an integrative environment will truly make a difference on our international perspective of the world itself. And that, my friend, is another small step towards changing the world.
2. Job Security
Even though job security is not the main reason to attend college, it is an important factor to consider when balancing the pros and cons. The job market has become extremely competitive nowadays – less people retire before 65, far more women enter the job market, and the global population expands quicker than ever. Thus, in order to stay significantly powerful on the job market, employees must provide diplomas as proof that they are competent workers.
More than 32% of jobs in the United States require at least an Associate or Bachelor degree – so I’d say going to college is worth it, wouldn’t you?
3. Responsibility
Balancing responsibility and freedom is challenging for anybody. With so many parties to go to, who finds time for homework? With so many opportunities to involve on campus, who finds time to give back to the community? There are so many options available, yet so little time. Fortunately, the good thing about college is that it teaches you how to balance life! You have no other option but survive, so you’ll learn how to deal with time management, responsibilities, and commitment.
College comes with lots of assignments, deadlines, or small tasks; in one word, college comes with many responsibilities. Even when you think you have everything covered, there’s still something else that needs to be revised. Elena Homey, former artist and current biologist, shares her story with us.
“Realizing I was a responsible person was so unusual for me. I have never thought college could teach me such great life lessons. I was handling everything so well – I did my Math homework constantly, studied for important tests well in advance, used my favorite writing service to correct any spelling mistakes within my papers, and even read two pages of my special book before I went to bed. I felt so organized, and accomplished; and I realized how much college has helped me stay on the right life track.”
You can fail at becoming responsible, and drop – that’s for students who don’t get anything out of it – or you can excel, and become a hard-working, committed person, who’s extremely well-organized by the end of the four years. It is really up to you. What I can tell you for sure is that college will turn you into a truly independent, mature, and responsible individual.
4. Communication
Being part of such a big community, students develop inherent communication skills when they attend college. They have to constantly hold group presentations in the classroom, and discuss their subjects thoroughly. They must work in teams in order to reach a common goal. As some might say, “Teamwork makes the dream work,” – working in small groups will release the pressure and give everybody a chance to contribute to the assignment equally; what teamwork also does is it develops social skills and leadership qualities within individuals.
Being able to work in small/large groups, interacting with colleagues, exposing different opinions, and debating on them will be part of one’s future work duties too. College literally prepares students for real life situations, and for the real job market. Working with people and for people are going to be two essential life-components in any person’s future; thus, going to university has a true impact on any individual’s personal life and future career.
5. Personality
Students get to explore their own areas of interests by attending college. You can experiment anything from Physics, Biology, or Chemistry, to English Literature, Astronomy, or Economics. How else are you going to find out what you are really interested in? Exploring new things and choosing your own subjects is part of our self-development process. Everyone should have a chance to explore themselves and their interests!
Participating in college life is going to develop strong, yet different qualities within each student. Some might discover they are passionate about Bio-Chem and apply for Med School later on, while others might realize they want to discover the world and take a year off to travel after graduation. College does not mean you must get a job after you graduate; college simply offers you a bigger chance to get a well-paid job once you graduate. That’s it. Nothing else!
Now watch out. During college, you will:
- Discover your true passions by attending and choosing classes that you enjoy
- Follow your dreams and curiosity about different subjects
- Develop as an individual and learn new things about yourself
- Acquire knowledge of the world around you and take initiative into changing the world
- Understand other cultures and develop empathy for the people around you
- Prepare for a satisfying career with lots of opportunities coming your way
Wrapping it Up
College does not have to be scary, or annoying, or a pain in the bum. Yes, homework is not the most enjoyable activity, and yes, your future roommate might not be most interesting person in the world, but that does not mean you should miss such an important step in your life. Go to college, have your fun, and come back ready to conquer the world!