MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES IN COLLEGE

College life is really funny I must say. Lots of times the stress will make you question yourself, and you begin to doubt if you can actually finish and finish well. I mean, it is four years…four long years of the same stress repeating itself. At some point we tend move out of the phase of “I want to study and get my A” to the phase of “I just want to get a C and pass this class”. That’s when you know it’s about to get real (I’d normally insert “lol” here). But with that mentality of getting by in classes, one does not really achieve much at the end of the 4 years. Because if you think about it, a C is a 2.0 GPA, and if you get a C in all your classes in your four years of college, then you graduate with a GPA of 2.0. I do not think any of us would want that.

One reason why sometimes we don’t succeed in the field we choose when we go to college is that probably we do not belong there. Some of us wish to be doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and make all the money there is to make. But do we really know what it takes to go into these fields? It can be argued that most times we are pushed by parents, peers, or environment to do what we do not fancy. We do not all have to be doctors to make money as there are other fields out there. We just have to search deep down and see what we are compatible with. A professor once told me and my colleagues in class that if we feel that sports or fashion is our calling, there is no need wasting our limited time doing biology or sciences.

Another problem is the rush to graduate because our peers are graduating. It does not matter how long it takes us to get that college degree. Finishing and finishing well should be our priority. I have seen 60-something year olds go to college and they do not care about age. It is better to take your time and finish with a high GPA that rush and finish with a lower one.

It will be better for students to participate in internships and programs that can expose them to their desired fields while still in college. This can help them decide if they want to continue or change to a different field. That mentality of “let me just continue” knowing quite well that you are not doing as you had hoped will not lead us anywhere. Just pick up that book and study. It’s ok if you miss out on the social and night life for now, at the end you can always have that time to socialize. You just have to set your priorities right. If you want to have that social life, drop the book. If you want to be successful via education, pick up the book. Don’t listen to those that will invite you to parties and outings knowing you have that exam in two days. You don’t want to sacrifice four years of your life and then graduate regretting all you have done. You cannot change what has happened but you can always create a better future by doing what is right.