Why I Value a College Education
Many people view college as another step to check off your list in life. While I understand that for many professions it is required, it can also be so much more than something to propel you into the job market. A college education is full of possibility, should you choose to take advantage of all that it has to offer. College is a place where you gain your independence and work to navigate all of the responsibility that comes with that. It allows you to grow as a person and provides you with endless opportunities that you otherwise wouldn’t have had. All in an environment that nurtures the ability to take advantage of these opportunities, and fosters development of the skills to do so. A college education has the power to completely transform you if you’re brave enough to endeavor.
Learning Who I Am
Three years ago, I was a scared, anxiety-ridden person who had absolutely no idea who she was, who she wanted to be, or what her place in the world was. I’m not about to claim that I know everything about myself, but I certainly can answer each of those questions now, and even more importantly I’m comfortable when those answers change. My hope is that sharing the answers, and how I got to where I could answer them will demonstrate the immeasurable depth of what the college experience offers.
It is quite difficult for me to put into words the person I was and the person I’ve grown into since being in college. In some ways the changes are small and subtle such as my sense of responsibility. In other ways they are a shift in my priorities like valuing empathy and exemplifying that, or the confidence and bravery I’ve developed. Alongside that I continue to slowly shed my quiet shell and I am learning to be loud, take up space, and be assertive.
Overall, it is hard to imagine where I would be without the impact that my time at the University of Indianapolis has had. Who I continue to want to be is also influenced by the people that I’ve met during college. I have found amazing friends that constantly inspire me and push me to grow. The amount of help that I’ve received from countless individuals at my school also reinvigorates my desire to help others.
Determining who you are in this world is not an easy task. It is perhaps a question that some spend their whole life attempting to answer. In college I’ve had mentors who each in their own way helped me discover how I fit into the world. Also, this changes. Every day, I meet new people and gain new experiences that may show me something new about the world and who I want to be within it. The exploration is never ending and in a collegiate setting it’s easy to find comfort in the changing nature of self discovery when you’re surrounded by individuals who are each on a similar journey.
Exploring My Interests
A college education gives you the ability to explore your interests to find classes, a major, and a profession that you enjoy. There are many nuanced classes and majors out there, like scuba diving and ceramics, that I would’ve never known existed had I not had the chance to discover them. No matter how old you are, trying to determine your career path is incredibly difficult, but more so when you don’t even know the options available. I had never heard of Exercise Science as a major before, and I’ll be honest: I compared it to getting a degree in PE. But I learned it involves a rigorous study of the human body and all that it can mean to move that body. It is the perfect combination of my interests and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it during my time in school.
Discovering the World
A college education is also not limited to the classroom. It’s a chance to listen to other people’s stories, learn about different cultures, and explore the world around you. I went to college 1,000 miles from home and have thoroughly enjoyed exploring a new city and seeing more of what the world has to offer. Opening this door gave me the courage to explore more cities (including Chicago, whose traffic is a beast I managed to overcome) and pursue the possibility of being able to study abroad.
Leaving My Comfort Zone
I have been exposed to innumerable opportunities during my college experience thus far, including leading an organization, interacting with the President and Trustees, traveling, conducting my own research and presenting it professionally, and meeting people from a myriad of states and countries. There are countless opportunities that other students don’t always take advantage of which is why it is important to put yourself out there. While a college education will push you and test your limits it also is what you make of it.
One of the other valuable things about college is that it is a place where it is okay to make mistakes. I cannot emphasize this enough because, in high school, I felt a constant pressure to be perfect. Although I am still working on moving away from that, it helps immensely to be in an environment where I am given the opportunity to fail and make mistakes in order to learn from them. This has significantly helped me get out of my comfort zone and try things I otherwise never would have considered doing such as learning a new skill, taking a ceramics class, being a board member of a club, and taking on a mentor role at my job.
College enables you to exist in an environment that will never cease to enrich you. It will further your knowledge at every turn and foster a love for learning that will be a part of you for the rest of your life. It is becoming more and more common to experience burnout at a younger age, and many people that I’ve talked to were struggling to get through school without feeling any passion for it; they were just told this degree was a step they needed to complete. College can provide you with an infinite world of possibility, but it is vital to take advantage of all that it has to offer. If you are willing to grow, change, meet new people, make mistakes, and learn about yourself and the world around you, then I assure you that a college education can provide you all of that and more.
