When asked to come up with what is good about college, a few obvious ideas popped up: Friends, education, connections to the "outside" world, techniques for making instant ramen into a five-star dish. But none of these seemed right. It wasn't until looking at previous blog posts, made two years ago, that it hit me in the face like a burlap bag filled with ravenous, angry weasels. What's good about college is that it provides perspective.
That is a vague term, so some elaboration is needed. Friends come and go, but there is no real sense of what a friend is until you are trying to make lasting connections for the rest of your life.
Rhetorical question: How many friends have you kept in contact with since high school? Middle school? What about your best friend from elementary school? Would you recognize him or her on the street?
This was put into perspective when a Facebook notification informed me that it was my best friend from elementary school's birthday. Navigating to his wall, nothing appeared, except for his family and photos. No wall to post on. There was a sinking feeling when the realization dawned that I was not given access to my once-close friend's wall.
On the other hand, at both colleges I have attended, I have made lasting friendships that I keep, even having barely seen some friends for two years. Granted, I am going to their wedding in October.
What about perspectives on education? For most of elementary through high school, learning was not exactly fun. It was rigorous and supposed to "prepare us for how hard college will be."
And yet, a class where each week a Japanese film is shown and then discussed was fun, informative, and not nearly as boring as 90 percent of my high school classes. Surely a class where the creative merits of Joss Whedon are discussed is better than the high school class where Shakespeare is the sole topic.
But the thing that is most put into perspective is time. It seems like just yesterday was high school graduation, but this December is college graduation after nine semesters. Ironically, one of the friends from the first class this blog was created for has been lost to the sands of time and lack of communication. Two years have gone by since I transferred from Monterey, yet it feels like I was living in the dorms last week.
Time seemed to pass incredibly slowly in high school. In college, it has flown by. Had someone told me that college would happen in the blink of an eye, unlike high school, they would have been met with laughter and derision.
That is, of course, what college is good for - making me think and forcing me to reevaluate perspectives on life, the universe, and everything. The passage of time, friends and acquaintances, and even the learning process have changed over the past two, five, and nearly nine years of high school and a transfer between two colleges.
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Your column had my attention the entire time. It flowed nicely and I liked how you discussed friendship throughout the piece.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I keep in contact with a select few from high school and virtually none from middle school.
ReplyDeleteThe bag of weasels was a great, if somewhat disgusting, image at the outset.
ReplyDeleteBut let's look at that graf:
"When asked to come up with what is good about college, a few obvious ideas popped up: Friends, education, connections to the "outside" world, techniques for making instant ramen into a five-star dish. But none of these seemed right. It wasn't until looking at previous blog posts, made two years ago, that it hit me in the face like a burlap bag filled with ravenous, angry weasels. What's good about college is that it provides perspective. "
It would be stronger, perhaps to begin with the last sentence, instead of the generality at the beginning. Or the weasels!
"It hit me like a bag of weasels - college taught me...."
Regardless, the paragraph is way too long for a lead, even on a column.
The idea of perspective is a good one and if gotten at in a more straightforward fashion, would make this piece stronger.
And a tie-in from lead to the end would make it more effective, too.
Maybe another weasel reference?
Quite enjoyed the bag of weasels, if I had a nickel for every time.
ReplyDeleteThe meat of this article had me nodding in empathy throughout, good stuff.