College students

As many of you know, I'm just starting my 4th and final year of college. Which has given me quite a good amount of time to draw some conclusions about the people here.

First of all, I had a block off for an internship... so I started school a month later than everyone else. While my fellow classmates were going to class, writing papers, and taking hard exams, I was doing work that I loved, got some great experience, made a lot of money, got class credit, and expanded my resume.

Since I've been back at school (nearly 2 weeks), I'm really starting to come to terms with the fact that 95% of college students are made up of sheer B.S. I mean, seriously, look at the social science majors. What do they do? Philosophers... They're just people who argue, whether they have a point or not... They just argue for no reason. Psychologists think they can analyze everyone, which is completely stupid. I had a psychology class last year, all of the things that i learned about "my personality" n stuff, was completely wrong. I think that the main thing people need to learn in college is that their opinions on Shakespeare, global warming, and any other psychobabble do not matter. Seriously, they don't.

Also, it's really funny to see college students (especially at my college) think they have it rough. Alright, let's think about this. They go to a school with a $25,000 base tuition fee. Whether they pay the full tuition or not, in order to go to a private college, there is NO way, that you have it rough.... so, shut up.

Now...You may think I'm contradicting myself in the sense that "I'm expressing my opinion"... but I'm not saying people shouldn't express their opinions. It's just that most college students go about it in the stupidist way. College students are not as smart and deep as they think they are, no matter what.

Long story, short.... I'm not your typical college student that expresses my profound thoughts on life. I don't thrive on sounding intelligent to professors, my peers, or anyone else for that matter. I don't wear khaki shorts, flip-flops, and sit with my legs crossed. And I don't drink coffee, listen to Dave Matthews, or visit the library (unless it's to check out a DV camera).

I guess I'm what most college kids would call "immature" or something... but I think I just know how to have fun, I know what is and what isn't needed to be said, I don't try to sound smarter than I am, I know that I'm lucky to have this education, and I don't care about analyzing ancient readings. All I need is a computer and a professional lifestyle, and I'll be happy. To Summarize: I want to be done with school and go back to work. It's much more rewarding. And after all, the whole point of going to college is so you can get a higher paying and more desirable job, right?
Very good article Derek. Having known you for as long a time as I have, I can see that your college education has really paid off. That education plus the can do attitued have made you a real man. You should use your article as a cover sheet for you resume. Most employers would hire you in a minute if they read it. Not all college students are made up of the know it all... "Big me, Little you" ... poor me...I know it all attitude. Thank God. I still feel that most students there do appreciate the opportunity and sacrifices that there Grandparants and Parants have made to send them there. It's just that the Spoiled Few are so vocal that we sometimes only see and hear them telling everyone how smart they are. Remember actions always speak louder than any words... Always remember that College is good, but it's only the start of what your real life will be or turn into. It's just to bad that some students just never really 'get it'. Real life that is. They seem to forget how or why they are there. They think the whole world revolves around them and forget the freedoms that others have given up so they might have the Priviledge of attending a place of higher learning. Sooner or later they might, but it's sad for some that it sometimes takes a act like those of 9-11 or a great loss to bring them into the real World. And then even after how quickly they Forget how fragile we all are in this thing called life. God Bless you Derek... you are on your way to better things! It's for sure your head is in the right place. Always remember in life that ATTITUDE, Those you surround yourself with, and how you carry yourself will take you much further on life's road than any degree you may ever attain. The Degrees just show that you have had wear with all to accomplish all of the above. Best Regards, Follow Nobody

Former CAPT US ARMY RANGER INF and I'd like to think a very Successful Busness man.

Follownobody posted

This is something that I notice at my school too. First off, I'm told that my school is like number 3 in top party schools in the country which explains my first complaint of people here. I think that a lot of people here don't give a damn about their classes except when they are in them. When I see people out walking around during the day they are all putting up this fake "college image" for themselves and sucking up to their professors. They wear the khaki shorts and stupid Doc-Marten sandals. I don't think its cool to look like everyone on Road Rules on MTV. But the next night I'll see the exact same person and they are acting totally different. People don't care about school here.

I hate hearing people complain about not having enough money because their parents didn't send them their $300 a month allowance. But yet they are driving around a BMW or an Audi that they got for graduation. WHY SHOULD YOU GET AN ALLOWANCE?? YOU ARE IN COLLEGE! GROW UP!

Also, it makes me upset that students could care less about their education just because they know that if they fail they can drop out and mommy and daddy will take care of them for the rest of their lives. Well thats not me, I've got set goals for myself, I've had these same goals since I started college and I'm not about to waste my time here worrying about who I could look and act like this week.

Zach Larson posted

Amen. I wish I had more to say, but I don't. Amen.

Xero posted

Ah,I too have realized this overwhelming fad of the "American Beach Boy" look with the flip flops and torn up khaki shorts and jeans. I see you are referring to the American Eagle type of look that has swept the nation like a plague? Not just any plague but a plague of hot, steaming diarrhea. Damn these clothes designers and their trends or mockery. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to get myself a cup of coffee. Where did i put my flip flops?

David M. posted

"Also, it's really funny to see college students (especially at my college) think they have it rough."



Try being an architect student, if only for one week. The true meaning of "having it rough".



Colleges and universities are the crucial in our history. They question things that a normal factory worker would never consider. Your opinion of philosopy, pysch, may be scewwed because you're already used to this kind of stuff (tv, movies, media etc), but a hundred years ago all of this was groundbreaking. There's a reason why the USA has 3,000 colleges and has such a high standard of living.



You go to a much different college than me. This school IS made up of smart people, otherwise there is no chance in hell they would have been accepted in (25,000 applicants for 1300 spots). But I see your point, some do pretend to be "too high" on the scope.





alexei posted

the groundbreaking stuff that you said was 100 years ago... was probably closer to a few hundred years ago. and even though it was groundbreaking, most of it was wrong.



i've been reading up on a ton of this stuff for the class i'm in now, aristotle, completely wrong in like 75% of the stuff that was considered groundbreaking... so his discoveries are all useless to people of our time.



there were also groundbreaking things said like... the earth was flat, etc.



and i don't appreciate the comment about the television, movies, media, etc based opinions of mine. i don't base "opinions" on other people's opinions. all this came from my own experience and thoughts.



p.s. - i respect architects a lot... but you don't have it rough. it may be very challenging, and i'm sure that it is. but you do not have it rough.

derek posted

Not going to a college myself, I still draw conclusions at the college thats a couple blocks away from my house. We get the "American Eagle" people at UW-SP, they all go to the Mission Coffee house, and at anytime, you'll see them walking by my house. I suppose when I get into college, I'll make my own conclsions then.

Tanner posted

are we talking poverty (and which, american poverty or third-world), broken homes, difficult childhood?

alexei posted

Derek, is it possible you are being a little stereotypical?And is is possible you underestimate the value of learning about things that you may not think you care about?



And alexei, you get no sympathy from me in regards to your architecture comment. You make up the errogant "high and mighty" group that Derek was talking about. You could have left that one out.

Kelly posted

well, i'm not being stereotypical, per say... stereotypical is: lacking spontaneity or originality or individuality.



so the point of this article is to say that most other college students are stereotypical.



as for alexei... even though we disagree on a few matters, he's still my boy! i respect him a lot.



and for everyone else. if you just happen to wear the clothes i talked about, or major in one of the subject i spoke of... don't think i don't like you, cause i probably do. i'm just making an overall generalization.

derek posted

stereotypical (only according to webster) : something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially : a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment

typical:

posted

i actually am going to have to agree with alexei on this one... he's not being "high and mighty." i mean, none of us in college are starving or living on the streets, obviously. but as it goes, we go to a REALLY hard school and people there are REALLY smart. also, to defend myself as a psych major - i don't think i can analyze everyone, and most people in psych don't either. i'm taking it so i can go into researching childhood bullying, not so i can seem holier-than-though. derek, i see where you're coming from on a lot (DMB, flip-flops...) but a lot of it i really,strongly disagree on...

sarah posted

i understand that wash u is a tough school to go to. and also keep and mind, i didn't claim alexei was high and mighty... i claimed that he's my buddy. =)



i know that your school is tough, really hard, and even very intense, but it is not "rough." you are lucky to go to that school, you are lucky to have that kind of challenge, and you are a couple years from completing one hell of an accomplishment.



about the psychology thing, i don't think all psychologists are like that. my girlfriend is a psychology major and i believe that it can be important. she does not analyze everyone and i don't think all psychologists do. but as an overall generalization of the hardcore psych people, i think the statement holds a bit of truth. she is actually looking into the same thing you are. she wants to teach in a behavior disorder classroom, similar to what you want to do.

derek posted

on a funny note... this article got submitted to our campus newspaper and was printed. anyway, i knew a lot of people would be pissed about it, since they don't know me. however, the people that DO know me, will realize that i said is not meant to harm anyone in particular. it is simply a rambling of some generalizations i have made.



anyway, i got an "anonymous" letter in my mailbox today from some social science majors. they corrected my grammar like it was a formal essay that i wanted to get submitted to a class, haha. this was an article on wrote for 'my' website, not a class. they replaced my contractions, such as "i'm" and "let's" with "i am" and "let us." are you kidding me? of course i'm writing in shorthand. it's my website!



on their corrections, they even misspelled words.

-italicize was spelled "italize"

-writing was spelled "writting"



anyway, this was a funny little note i got.... whoops, i mean "received"

derek posted

I am abroad this semester so I missed your publication in the school paper,how exciting. regardlessly I feel compelled to reply...



I think the benefit of a college like the one we attend is the reaction it inspires in us. I think quite frankly that in the case of our school it is much healthier for that reaction to be negative. That being said, I am happy to have attended Cornell. I mean really what more could you ask for in a college education than the knowledge of what makes you happy. After all you do know precisely what you want to do in life. It is a pain that the road to understanding in our case has involved interacting with a multitude of jackass's. But I think that you would agree that you and i (and maybe 5% of the other students) are most likely more interesting people for having gone through the process.

Thom posted

Good thought, Thom... I completely agree.

Derek posted

[11:46] <npl> you know what i realized the other day...broox`, i was reading your article about college on your site

[11:46] <npl> i am one of the people you were talking about

[11:46] <npl> 1) I like Dave Matthews

[11:46] <npl> 2) I wear sandals

[11:46] <npl> 3) I wear khaki shorts

[11:46] <broox`> haha

[11:46] <mh> :)

[11:46] <broox`> i know, a lot of my friends wear that stuff

[11:46] <npl> yeah, it was a good moment

[11:47] <npl> i'm like, sweet

[11:47] <broox`> it wasn't exactly directed at that though

[11:47] <npl> no, i know

[11:47] <broox`> more at the people that pissed me off

[11:47] <npl> it was just funny

derek posted

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