Been a while since I last wrote any blog but I seriously could not resist or ignore this bugging question that is "was it really, Really, REALLY worth it? you know going to college or a university and getting a degree and all?" which not to brag I had managed to get three so far a Diploma, a Bachelors and then a Masters.
Over the past couple years, I read many blogs and saw plenty of video's on youtube, from highly successful people (obviously from an economic point of view 😉) convincing me that colleges are utterly worthless and to drop out instead, that too with a grand, rebellious attitude, is one of the smartest thing a student can do. And so naturally this thought bugged me and so I wanted to publically share my insights related to this intriguing question. I am pretty sure, there will be many just like me, who must have been bitten by this same bugging question. And it's quite a buzzing bug, as it does not leave a pleasant feeling once it bites you.
Believe me, this is not some paid article and I am not preaching dying man wishes. I do strongly believe that schools and colleges need to be disrupted in their current format. School and colleges in their current form are definitely a dying breed. I don't believe in eradicating them, mind you, but just reformatting them, as that shall suffice. Obviously, cant reformat it once and sit back and relax. In fact, hundreds of attempts may be required, before finalizing few good ones and this process needs to re-correct itself every few centuries. I always believe in Failing Fast and isn't that one of the 21st centuries bedrock principles. Hence we as a society, quickly need to be open to experimentation and loosen up with standardization, especially in education case wherein its long proven that one size does not fit all.
So after giving it enough thoughts, I came up with a toolbox analogy which helped me in answering this question. See getting a degree is equivalent to getting a toolbox. Now with what kind of tools, depends on the kind of college and type of degree you chose. For me, when I got my Diploma, imagine me holding a smaller toolbox with tools made from woods. I quite frankly didn't know how to use them. So I went on and pursue a Bachelors degree as in, I traded my toolbox with wooden tools for a BIGGER toolbox with iron tools this time, although rusted. Nothing significantly changed as such, as I still didn't know what can I make using them, which tool to use when and how. If I did or shall have met someone who could have showed it to me, then there was no point in getting a higher degree but I didn't and so I went on and pursue a Masters degree. And this time traded my bigger toolbox to get a MEGA toolbox.
I knew a few tricks by now. I learned which tools to use when, but still, I had no idea about what can I make using them. So I ended up joining a factory, where someone gave me specific instructions, wherein I experienced first hand, which tools to use when to make what shape of the object and most importantly how. With the experience of working in a factory over time, I further learned how to remove rust from the tools I am carrying along. I learned how to make various kinds of objects and that too with faster speed and better efficiency. Doing so for couple more years, I started gaining insights and so started taking a few risks and started experimenting and creating objects that are new and unique, which filled me with motivation and ignited a hunger to continue. Throughout the journey, I kept cleaning, exchanging, trading and acquiring tools and kept my toolbox as up to date as possible.
Now, going back to the ones who are proposing that college is worthless and so they dropped out in between. Let's look at it more speculatively. The real reason why they chose to drop out, and mind you, ended up succeeding economically, was that they knew not only how to use a few tools, if not all, but also what can they make using them. But if we take a generic set of 100 students, most do not. Most students get stuck at what can they make and how part and I was one of them and I have no guilt in accepting that. Hence its wise for remaining students, like me, to rather continue and finish what they started. Not pursuing a degree and or dropping out in between, in itself is not going to make any difference, I hope that it's clear.
Schools, Colleges, and Universities are not the evils of society but instead, they are the beacons. I understand the outrageous fees and this whole education as business issues but you cannot kill the body to get rid of the virus. Whats needed is a newer way to study and learn. And believe me Schools, Colleges, and Universities in 2050-2100 will be completely different then what we have seen in our time but nonetheless, they will exist. They will provide better toolboxes with up to date tools and better know how about how to use those tools. Still, at the end, the economic success depends on the individual student and not the toolbox. The sooner the student realizes this and starts experimenting with whatever tools acquired and adapts to Failing Fast the better.
Peace ✌!!
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