Fast forward three years. The bags under my eyes were battle scars left from several semesters worth of midterms and finals. My stomach ached from the beer and pizza that had been staples through my college tenure. Presently, I was stressing about pre-enroll and interviewing for the perfect internship (i-banking of course). College proved to be the opposite of what I had envisioned. My mind was focused more on getting an A in the class, than actually trying to learn and apply the material. In addition, many of the classes focused on theoretical situations, instead of real world problems. So even when I managed to apply some concepts, they were often too lofty to be immediately practical. College was supposed to be a time to prepare you for the workforce, but the only thing I got out of it was the ability to game the interview process. I learned how to have the perfect resume, sell myself in an interview, and network with professionals. Despite knowing these things, I lacked the knowledge or skills that could set me apart in the workplace. I had to learn these real world skills on my own.

College had become an escape from real life. It was an excuse to not take ownership of my goals. I was increasingly unsure of what college was even for. Some see college as a necessary step in life, and others — an achievement worthy of praise. But does this title really mean anything? In some ways, it helps you earn respect from elders and provides access to opportunities that many people don’t have. More fundamentally though, our society is built on such assumptions and quick judgments. Saying that you have a college degree is often the difference from being perceived as someone that has it figured out to someone that yet needs to figure it out. I really believed in the value of college. I thought that by going to a good college, I would figure out my life’s purpose, and from there, I would make my path to success. But after years in college, I realized that was not the case. College was actually holding me back.