Husband starts back to school for the first summer term today. I'm not going to lie, I hate it when he goes to school. He has fourteen hour days and then comes home stressed out. So, I never get to see him and then even when I do, I just try to tiptoe around, hoping not to stress him out more (I know that it's hard to believe, but I can get a little excitable every now and then).
But, even more than the fact that he's stressed out is the fact that Husband tells me, "Getting a degree is going to make everything better."
Umm...I don't mean to be skeptical and I'm sure he's right, but is there anyway to get a guarantee on that??
I say this because I, myself, happen to be a college graduate. And where has my college degree gotten me? Exactly NO WHERE. I've basically been working as a receptionist ever since I graduated. My degree has actually been a hindrance in this case because people won't hire me for better paying receptionist jobs because they figure I'm over qualified and they won't interview me for anything I'm qualified for because I am "just a receptionist".
This trend also continues throughout my immediate family - eleven out of thirteen of us have college degrees. Two of us actually use the degrees in our field of study. My sister, Nancy, has a master's degree and her husband, Tyler, has TWO bachelors degrees - both of them are at home working on the ranch. My brother, Jesse, studied to be an electrician. He is now a stay-at-home dad because his wife can make more money with her RN degree. Don't even get me started on my extended family or my friends...
Basically, what I'm trying to say is, I don't think a college degree means anything anymore. They're a dime a dozen. I'm not saying that going to college is/was useless. I learned a lot - most of it outside of the classroom.
However, Husband is hardly an idiot 18-year-old who is living away from home for the first time, trying to figure out who he is. He's 30 for heaven sake! He's already brilliant (I might be a BIT biased)! I would say he's pretty much who he is going to be and no amount of stupid GE classes on philosophy and 18th century English literature is going to change that. Can't he just skip those classes and just get on with something he's interested in?
I don't mean to be discouraging. Yes, I am a self-described pessimist (a recent development). And, perhaps I'm missing the point entirely. But GOSH DANG. $30,000 for a four year degree (I know, that's the cheap side) that you may or may not be able to use?? I don't get it.
I'm going to start praying now and perhaps in two years when Husband is done, education will have become worth something again.
3 comments:
See--college is only a bad idea for people whose destiny is not to work in an ordinary way. But for the rest of us, even with pathetic liberal arts degrees, college does help.
I would say it really does depend on what you decide to major in. Man, isn't life fun?
I am with you, education is highly overrated. I mean I have only graduated 5 times, I am currently in grade 26, pushing mid 30's, and never had a real job. All for the promise that someday I will get paid the big bucks.
Post a Comment