Dropping Out of College

When we hear about people dropping out of college, we usually think of the student as having failed some classes or too stupid to keep up or just lazy. But for some people, college just isn't the right place to start adult life.

So you just went through four years of high school. Let's say you got through your classes without failing any, but you're not exactly the smartest either. Now what? You have your high school diploma, you flipped the tassel, and if you aren't 18 already you probably will be soon. And depending on how much you procrastinate, you might have a college picked out already. But why? Are you planning on going to college because your family really wants you to? Or you think it's the best option you have? Or maybe you just really need that degree to do what you want. Whatever the reason, I hope it's because it will lead you to happiness.

When I graduated from high school, I thought I knew what I wanted to do. There was the local college that was 10 minutes from my house and not really that expensive for someone living with their parents. And then there was the fact that my best friend and a few of my other classmates would be going there as well. And, they had the major of my choice. Graphic Design. This all was setting up to be a pretty good thing. Or so I thought. Summer was ending and I was a little nervous but also kind of excited for school to start. I had myself convinced that college would be some of the best years of my life. I would meet new people, learn things about doing what I love, and there was always the hope that I would find a significant other in the crowd of tired zombies walking on campus. I was so caught up in the thought of parties and new friends and taking fun art classes that I hadn't even considered what the work load was going to be like. Whenever I told people I was going to college, I would get either one of two responses. "How are you going to pay for it?" and "College is a lot harder than high school." But I always just brushed these comments off and kind of just pushed them to the back of my mind. I told myself that if I worked hard but also had fun, nothing else would matter. I kept thinking that the tuition fee would take care of itself and I would keep up with the homework. I said to myself, "High school wasn't that bad, I can handle this." And I kept lying like that to myself all summer. But what I was forgetting was that I was not good at keeping up with school work and procrastination was a bad habit that I couldn't seem to shake. The truth was, I glided through high school barely finishing the work on time and putting minimal effort into everything. I was not a good student. But my senior was one of the funnest years of my life. I had a lot of friends and I enjoyed the time that I wasn't at home procrastinating on a project.

And so, when I eventually got to college, my expectations were absolutely wrecked and I found out what it really meant to take college classes. As I mentioned before, I was majoring in graphic design. But from looking at my schedule, there would have been no way to know that. I was taking some of the same classes I took in high school, just on a bigger scale. I still had to take Spanish, Math, Biology, Geography, and then there was one little art class that I was allowed to take. Already in the first week I felt like I was having deja vu. It was not what I wanted and there was a little thought in the back of my mind that was telling me to drop out. I was lonely, I was very close to falling behind again, and had zero time to do any of the things I loved doing. I didn't have time to draw my own stuff or paint or practice my digital art. And I was so confused as to why I was still there. I wanted to get experience in the digital arts and design but I was not getting any instruction in that area. And all my art class consisted of, was three hours of standing at a pad of newsprint drawing boxes, vases, and cylinders. I was not happy. I barely had enough money to pay for the semester and all my money (I mean all of it) was going into me taking an online math course about stuff I learned sophomore year of high school.

Eventually I just didn't see the point anymore and decided that I would be happier if I just worked during the week and in all the free time I was gonna have, work on my art and get experience using the programs that all digital artists need to know. So far, I've only been out of college for one day, but I can tell you that I feel really good about it. I don't know if I'll be saying that in a year, or even a month. But right now, I'm happy.

And this is not an article telling people to drop out. That's not what I'm saying at all. I just want people to know that college may not be for everybody. It certainly wasn't for me but that's something that you, and only you can decide.