Making the Grade

A new century has rang in, and it is one where education is equally accessible to all genders. In the 20th century, women did not have much to think about career wise; the choices were to be a nurse or hold a clerical position. With all of the options available these days, we need should be able to confidently pick a path will be and stick with it. Enrolling in school was the the first step for me. I did not have any idea what I wanted to do and managed to complete two years of coursework, and still have nothing beneficial from my General Education experience.

My sister is someone I look up to and her first several semesters when she began college were not exactly productive. She would drop most courses, but now is re-enrolled, pursing personal interests and grasping the material (not to mention her GPA is impeccable). Even though I seemed to get further faster, there are gaps in my comprehension of material, which she does not.

I rushed trough the general education requirements at my junior college, and although speech was one course I thoroughly enjoyed, the rest were just something I did to get a grade and keep going. Obviously, after falling into this habit, I had difficulty once it came time to transfer. All of the "required" work was done and it was time for me to make solid career decisions as I began my upper-division core. I immediately jumped toward the University of Oregon because it was easy, I followed their articulation agreement with my California College's, and I wanted to get away and be a "real" student. I quoted the "real" part because, like many of us do, I used my student status as a security blanket; enabling me to avoid taking full advantage of my free education. 

After a year of trials at the University of Oregon, and no idea why I was there (aside from the fact it sounded nice) my path is beginning to form. This only began while I left home, frantically scrambling around a lightly populated city trying to kill time being creative. I even contemplate staying and finishing now that I have an idea what I want. However, I spent a lot of time and money trying to get a fancy degree, ignoring what I was obtaining for the material. For example, I could not tell you anything about marketing except the 4 P's and it was the only course I took last term. The saddest part is, there are probably students who passed that course with an A and could say even less.

So ladies, take your time with the courses you select and make sure your educational experience is beneficial. Make the grade, don't let the grade or school make you. Next time you are avoiding the real work and benefits of a course, think about what you want to give back to yourself and others. It is then you can happily "Winc" and continue chasing your educational goals.