IS ATTENDING COLLEGE WORTH THE STRESS?

Features: By Aanuoluwapo Akande

Some days ago, I watched a YouTube video of a millionaire in his thirties, and he said one of the things he regretted doing in his twenties was going to college. He said this because he believed it was a waste of time. This got me thinking about the importance of college. After high school, we are most likely advised to go to college because it increases our chances of success. 

However, people (youths especially) are beginning to question the relevance of college in preparing for the labor market. Doubts concerning college have risen as students begin to raise questions like, is college not a waste of time compared to the time that would have been used to gain functional employable skills? Or is college not a delay to the inevitable ( unemployment)? What’s the use of college anyways when one might end up not getting the job one studied for? Despite these questions of doubt, some still believe in the value of having a college education.

It is believed that having a college education guarantees that one may earn more than a high school leaver, and one is also eligible for more jobs. This is not a 100% guarantee considering a lot of graduates end up unemployed and engaging in skill-related jobs like event planning, hairdressing, make-up, or even tech-related jobs like web development, coding, and graphic designing that have nothing to do with what they studied at college. These skills can earn them more money than people who utilize their degrees. This confuses the youths as all the time and money spent on a college education seems to go to waste, but this does not mean a college education is not essential.

A benefit of going to college is that it opens one to a lot of opportunities that one may not get without having a college degree. A college degree for some professions means higher pay and other benefits like health and life insurance, which a high school certificate may not offer. Also, having a college certificate can be a backup plan if one’s original plan doesn't work out. Apart from the material benefits that a college certificate may bring, the college offers the opportunity to network with people of like minds and professions. Hence, it makes it easier to be a better professional since you can consistently offer mutual aid and assistance to each other. A college degree also offers respect, especially in Nigeria, as people would most likely want to listen to an educated person compared to an uneducated one. 

Moreover, It is important to define one’s idea of success. Is it to win the money game? To get one’s dream job or to be a politician? This will make it easy to decide whether to attend college. For example, some people would not feel fulfilled if they did not go to college (even though they are wealthy), and others will feel fulfilled having money without a degree. Also, there are Skills like graphic designing, web development, copywriting, and coding that do not necessarily require a college degree. Instead, one can learn these skills online or in a vocational or technical school while going to college. This way, you will not put your eggs in one basket.

In summary, college is not mainly created to get a certificate and a job; it is also created so that we can develop critical thinking and gain knowledge. As Jim Rohn says, “formal education will make you a living, but self-education will make a fortune.” Therefore, success is not necessarily tied to going to college but is a result of factors like self-development and the ability to learn, focus, and self-control, which college may or may not teach you.