Aaron Aiken Life outside of the box.

I had a few comments via email, Facebook, and Twitter in response to my post yesterday. This was a reblog from another Tumblr user and her thoughts on college. I added my thoughts for her to read at the bottom of this post. Sorry if this confuses anyone! I’ve included my contribution below:

I’ve said this exact same thing ever since graduating high school (2005) and plan to continue saying it. I refuse to pay thousands of dollars to an institution unless I know for certain what I want to study and make a career out of. In my personal opinion it is good to take it slow. Don’t feel rushed to pick a college right out of high school and feel pressured to have your entire life mapped and ready to go. You won’t. it is impossible. You hardly know yourself when you graduate from high school, so some time away from the usual friends and class schedules is good for the soul. Helps you to find you and what you really want to be when you grow up (or atleast get on that path).

Next June, 2010, will be my 5 year high school class reunion. already. in that time I have not once seriously considered going back to college. But, in that time I have started and stopped flight school, held six jobs, married my high school sweet heart, and moved 500 miles away from where i grew up. That’s a lot in 5 years and I have learned A TON about myself and I can say for certain that I would not have had the same experiences if I had went to a university right out of high school.

After saying that though, recently I have been giving thought to furthering my education; and only because the field I want to build a career in eventually requires a related degree.

So my advice: take it slow. Get to know the true you and then figure out if you need a degree to do what it is you feel called to do.

rjdlc:

hollywog:

ennuiprayer:

hollywog:

ennuiprayer:

hollywog:

I dont care. i want it that way. The fucked up thing about people these days is that they have this mentality like: “you’re only going to succeed if you go to school”.

I beg to differ. I don’t have to support anyone but myself. My goal is to end up in san francisco some day. and i want to have several different “touristy” jobs. Meet people, be me. I can see myself being happy that way. In fact, i’m afraid that if i go to school, don’t know what i want to be, i’ll get stuck and i won’t be happy. i’ll be miserable. If i get married and have kids, maybe someday i’ll want that. but i’m selfish and i don’t want to commit to anyone because this is my life and i want to do whatever i feel like doing. it’s hard to support a family if you’re used to enjoying the lifestyle i plan to have. So it’s official. I’m going to be happy because i’m going to do what makes me happy. :) yayyy!

It’s gorgeous outside today. We’ve had like two weeks straight of just POURING down rain. And today is sunny. :) a bit windy for my taste, but who’s being picky? :)

I’m happy today. this is a big deal.

I agree with you on the whole having to go to school to succeed. We lived in a world where that was true. Something more than a high school education was required to move forward. But at the state of our current situation, finding a job even with a degree in something is fruitless.

However, I’m an education geek. Even if you don’t plan to using a degree in something, it’s still fun (yeah, I said fun) to go to college because you get to meet a lot of new and interesting people (crap, I sound like one of those speakers that went to my high school attempting to convince me to go to school - which I did, a year and a half after I graduated). You don’t need to course out what you want to take for a career - you have what you want to do set - so why not get a degree (or just take a couple of classes) in subjects like literature, creative writing, philiosophy, art, etc. You know, degrees that really can’t get your a career (hehe, I speak from experience here).

Simply a suggestion, but I do know that course like that are pretty nifty.

Everything you say makes a lot of sense. And i’ve considered art classes. I used to have plans to go to art school and become a graphic artist. but my art’s more of a hobby now. I don’t know if i could make it a job. So if i do go to school i’m sure that’s what i’d do.

I just don’t know. I don’t feel like going to school. I just want to do things and go see people and places. It could be fun? i think. :)

Oh most definately. I say do it. I was never one who jumped into something because society wants us to do it. What I suggested was only for consideration.  However, I forgot to mention workshops could be fun to (cheaper & less time consuming, as well).

We’re not all made/ready for college (I know I wasn’t until after that year and a half) the moment our chums are going into it.

:) i appreciate your input. you make good points. who knows what i’ll end up doing. haha

I hate that a lot of business still fall by the ‘if you don’t have a degree we don’t want you’ mantra but, well depending what field you’re headed for, getting there sans degree can be rough.  Even for me as a designer every single job I came across needed a BA or better.

Along the same lines, had I not gone to college I may not be a designer.  I went in as a CS major, sucked at math, toyed with art to discover I was damn good at it.  Straight As for the first time in my life.  If I was never given the opportunity I’m sure I’d be doing something good, but no one can say if I’d be as happy as I am now. I like to think going to a liberal arts college greased the wheels, so to speak.

What I’m really trying to get at here is that regardless of what decision you make and where you choose to go, be sure you’re always open to learning and new experiences.  Don’t be afraid of the journey or the unknown, every new thing you encounter will teach you something, and every new lesson should be as welcome as the last.  As long as you seek out new knowledge and experiences, whether it be through an institution or otherwise, you’ll make it out alive.

I’ve said this exact same thing ever since graduating high school (2005) and plan to continue saying it. I refuse to pay thousands of dollars to an institution unless I know for certain what I want to study and make a career out of. In my personal opinion it is good to take it slow. Don’t feel rushed to pick a college right out of high school and feel pressured to have your entire life mapped and ready to go. You won’t. it is impossible. You hardly know yourself when you graduate from high school, so some time away from the usual friends and class schedules is good for the soul. Helps you to find you and what you really want to be when you grow up (or atleast get on that path).

Next June, 2010, will be my 5 year high school class reunion. already. in that time I have not once seriously considered going back to college. But, in that time I have started and stopped flight school, held six jobs, married my high school sweet heart, and moved 500 miles away from where i grew up. That’s a lot in 5 years and I have learned A TON about myself and I can say for certain that I would not have had the same experiences if I had went to a university right out of high school.

After saying that though, recently I have been giving thought to furthering my education; and only because the field I want to build a career in eventually requires a related degree.

So my advice: take it slow. Get to know the true you and then figure out if you need a degree to do what it is you feel called to do.

Thus ends the first evening with the coolest mother in-law ever visiting with us for the weekend! Had a great night showing her the town and our new home. We were also able to treat her to her first ever Hulu experience :-)

After coffee at Port City Java we came back home and Skyped with Lindsay’s dad and grandma (back in PA). Was pretty cool to have mom on the other end of the conversation at our place.

Mom also noticed the ‘gift’ I purchased for her: hand towels in the guest bathroom with her first initial :-) I know, I know, so thoughtful.