COLLEGE: The Good Of It In a Nutshell!!!

photo credit: Debbie Koenigs (probably outside) via photopin cc 

We can all conclude that everyone has their different reasons for coming to college, right? And, because it’s been shoved in our heads through every different direction, most of us are convinced that college is A MUST and that in order to be successful, we have to go. But, why exactly is it good? What purpose does college serve? How does attending college benefit each individual student who chooses to take that huge leap out of the bird’s nest and move forward with their lives? Well, to be honest with you, I agree that college is the key to success. It opens up doors for individuals that will one day become the top doctors in the country or some of the greatest politicians to ever walk the face of the earth. As stated in Louis Menand’s article, "Live and Learn," “Society wants to identify intelligent people early on so that it can funnel them into careers that maximize their talents. It wants to get the most out of its human resources. College is a process that is sufficiently multifaceted and fine-grained to do this.”

College also benefits society in a sense that it prepares the “daring” individuals who attend for the real world. It equips them for the social aspects of life as far as job searching, interviewing, and basically just broadening their horizons about all the diversity taking place around them that will more than likely be there for the rest of their lives. The article "The Benefits of Having a College Education" implies that “Making the acquaintance of people with diverse histories gives you a broader world view, cultural understanding, and sophistication. At college, you’ll surround yourself with people who can share a multitude of backgrounds, cultures and experiences.” 

What else is college good for? Well….the obvious answer would be that college is a place where you can gain knowledge about millions of different things, and in today’s society, knowledge equals power. Have you ever been in class and there were just these few select students that seemed to know ALL the answers to ALL the questions EVERYDAY? How did it make you feel? Did you feel as if you were inadequate compared to them? Did you try not to look them in the eye because you didn’t want them to catch a glimpse of that hateful glare that you so desperately wanted to give them? It’s as if they had control over the class, right? Well, technically, they did. Because of their, what seemed like, overflowing amount of knowledge, those “smart” kids had power over all of the others who felt like they were less than average at the moment. So, as I’ve stated in the above paragraph, college leads to increased knowledge, which leads to power, which in the long run will give you the upper-hand in your chosen career field. Also, attending college will not just allow you to “learn things to make a living, but also learning things to enable you to do things with your life, to enable you to find interests and pursuits that may in some way or another expand the way we see things." (Value of College Extends Beyond Paycheck)

                                           photo credit: Illinois Springfield via photopin cc

Another reason why college is beneficial is because it gives you experience. It trains you to use your mind in ways you never thought you could. “College can't serve you well without challenging you to integrate information and skills in ways you haven't before, and to apply the results to problems that may not yield clear and simple answers” Don't Miss The College Forest for the Career Trees. All in all, college makes you test yourself beyond measure. It prepares you to live as a responsible and knowledgeable citizen that can change the world by obtaining your own knowledge and putting it to good use.

What'd You Ask? Why College?

Why College?... Well, to me, college equals FREEDOM. When I was a kid, I could never figure out why the majority of my family was always struggling and burdened by things that I was unaware of at the time. But as I grew older, things became clear to me; with the exception of my mom and one out of 10 of my aunts, no one in my family had achieved higher education outside of high school. Watching some of my cousins being taken away from the family because their parents couldn't provide a suitable living place for them because of their lack of education and money, and also seeing some of the things my family members were doing to try to survive quickly made me realize that I did NOT want to follow in their footsteps and live my life like they were living theirs. I had to find a way to become more than what I was surrounded by. So, for me, college was my way out. I chose to go to college because I figured that if I kept pushing myself, and kept striving to be better than my best, then I would get to a point in life where I could live freely, without burden, and could eventually help my family build themselves up. I strongly believe that knowledge is power, and if I were to ever come to a point in life where I lost all my possessions, I would still have my knowledge, and with it I can create a better world for myself at any time.

My Life....So Far

Hey you guys! My name is Shatia, but I go by Tia. Either one will do. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Georgia. Unfortunately, I'm the middle child (If you're not the middle child then you wouldn't understand.) My younger brother is adopted and he is the light of my life! While at JSU, I plan to double major in Nursing and Psychology, and minor in Spanish. Afterwards, I plan to become either a neo-natal nurse, or a pediatric nurse. I've always had a passion to work with kids, especially ones that are sickly. Other than children, I have a DEEP passion for dancing! Dancing to me is how I express myself and tell my story to others. Unfortunately, my parents didn't really support that dream of mine, so instead of being a part of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre or somewhere like Juilliard, I'm here at JSU living out my back-up plan! Anyway, I'm a really down to earth person. Simple things make me happy, therefore, I'm not hard to please. I love music and everything about it. I also love making people laugh, traveling, interior decorating, and baking cupcakes (Before I die, I WILL own my very own cupcake shop. But that's another story for another day.) Oh yea, I'm a member of the infamous Marching Southerners, so if you've never seen us, you should come check us out and look for me in the Colorguard! But yea....You can find me on Facebook and/or follow me on Instagram @cutie_patootyy !!!