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University Experience

vincent

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In september, I will begin my 4th and last year of university (2007).

Since I was a child, I was always told that university consists of the greatest years of one's lifetime, where lifelong friendships are forged throughout various cultural backgrounds. One' s social life ( party) is supposed to reach its peak and will always be remembered as the "good old college days" Also, I was told that it was at university where most people meet their "love" and as the story goes get married and live happily ever after.


In my case, I should sue for false advertisement. I feel that I was "robbed" from all these great things. I found that university students consist mostly of extremely sheltered and geeky ( picked on in high school) individuals. Not only do these individuals get a "second" chance at being "cool" by "partying", they also love to collect "minorities" as friends. For instance, being friends with "an atheist homosexual white african who was raised by single blind mother" is priceless.

Feel free to post about your university experience.
 

LabelKing

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Like a lot of things, the university "experience" --or whatever Joseph Campbell term you want to apply-- has become as cynical and bureaucratic as anything corporate or clogged up within its own dubious gravitas.

Included in that is the political correctness pandering, the absurd amounts of drinking and parties for people released from authority, sexual dissipation for the self-feared impotents, and a general aspect of superficiality. This is mostly true from the gamut of community colleges to the Ivy League, where an even more contrived social dynamic is extant.
 

RJman

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Originally Posted by LabelKing
This is mostly true from the gamut of community colleges to the Ivy League, where an even more contrived social dynamic is extant.
LK -- are you an Ivy Leaguer? I thought you were too cool for school.
 

shellshock

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umm. does the "university experience" include becoming overwhelmed in enormous amounts of debt and having anxiety and getting sent to collections and not being able to get financial aid? woohoo.
 

metaphysician

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Originally Posted by vincent
In my case, I should sue for false advertisement. I feel that I was "robbed" from all these great things.

Take a number; most people probably do not have the experiences that you say are 'supposed' to be had in college. I haven't met anyone that referred to college as 'the best years' of their life, either.

College is what you make of it. If you get caught up with hating the people you describe (pretentious pseudo-intellectuals, etc. - which exist everywhere, by the way) then you are guaranteed to dislike it.
 

Mr. Checks

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V - I'm sad to hear that you had that kind of experience.

My college years varied widely from fantastic to depressing and everything in between; feeling the joy of discovery and filling the quest for knowledge to silly rote memorization.

Looking back, some of the best years of my life, though, without question.
 

rdawson808

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If college does turn out to be your best years, you are in sad shape, so don't worry about it. On the other hand, life's what you make it. I went to a huge research school but now teach at a small liberal arts college. At both places there were students who stayed in their rooms and never made friends and had a horrible time, and others who got out and got involved and had a great time. Not to mention the hermits who had a good time by avoiding people, and the extroverts who had a miserable time doing their thing.

I am still "friends" with only a small number of people I knew in college. That means that two of my closest friends went the way of the Do-do after a while and that I still am in e-mail contact with really just two others now. I've been invited to their weddings, they'll be invited to mine. But we see each other seldom. [The qualification here is that I moved across country immediately after college.]

As for meeting the woman or man of your dreams in college, be happy you didn't. I know exactly one couple that met in college and are still together. The long-lasting relationships I know of all started well after college, in the late 20s or early 30s. Way too much will change between university and the time you hit 30.

bob
 

Kai

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I loved my college years.

I met several life long friends.
I dated some charming and beautiful girls.
I met my wife.

I took a lot of really interesting classes from some great teachers.

I spent a lot of my free time skiing, climbing, and camping.

I took my time (started in 1982, graduated in 1989) and didn't rush my way through. I took classes I was interested in (lots of history and literature and science), even though they had no relationship to a future career. I spent a semester living and studying at a university in China. I took a trip to Europe during summer vacation. I served a 2 year mission for my church in Hong Kong. I did a lot of optional stuff just for fun, like spending a full semester writing a thesis that was part of the honors requirements.

College is what you make of it. I made sure it was enjoyable. It helped that the college I attended was pretty inexpensive, so I could afford to spend a little extra time there without incurring giant amounts of debt. (I worked all through college, and paid for everything myself.)

Law school, on the other hand, was less fun. Pretty much, it was just get through and get out, so you could get a real job.
 

Dakota rube

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Vincent, I feel terribly for you. College should be one of the most fun and exciting times of your life. It might well be the last time you are not under "the man's" thumb. To a certain extent you are still free to come and go and do as you please. Unfortunately much of that will change once you leave the ivied walls and enter the workforce. Not knowing your background or your ambitions, I'm hesitant to offer this, but I think you — and far too many of your peers — simply take life and college and whatnot way to seriously. Have some fun in life now. Hell, try to have fun every day for the rest of your life. It simply does not have to be so damn life-and-death. My own university experience is one I will never forget (even though I haven't a memory of much of it
smile.gif
). I honestly can't think of a "bad" memory of the time. One of my roommates remains to this day one of my closest friends. I write this thirty years removed from my university graduation, which places my time there firmly in the sexual and pharmacological experimentation era. Even without the endless sex, cheap and plentiful drugs and booze, and rock 'n roll, I can't imagine a more exciting time. Lighten up. Loosen up. Plan to have fun and enjoy your last year there. Life is too damn short to be miserable.
 

stach

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Originally Posted by Kai
(I worked all through college, and paid for everything myself.)

Same here. I took off a few years between H.S. & college. I worked, wanted to live independantly for a while and took some night classes. I borrowed from my parents when I needed to and paid them back as soon as I could. I had fun in school but I also worked very hard at it.
 

vincent

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Guys....


Don't get me wrong. I am definately not some type trench coat mafia member who locks himself in his room all night contemplating slicing his wrists.

I have many friends and pretty much every weekend is gongshow...

I simply feel that most students at my university (which is considered by many to be a top international institution) are lame, boring....
 

Margaret

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Originally Posted by vincent
Guys....


Don't get me wrong. I am definately not some type trench coat mafia member who locks himself in his room all night contemplating slicing his wrists.

I have many friends and pretty much every weekend is gongshow...

I simply feel that most students at my university (which is considered by many to be a top international institution) are lame, boring....


What venerable institution is this that finds itself unable to attract a student body of any substance? Are the intelligent, secure, well-rounded, sober kids taking a pass on college these days, or are they opting for lower-profile 'second-tier' schools, or what?
 

philosophe

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Vincent, I'm sorry college isn't doing it for you. Could I ask you some questions? I confess in advance that I am professor, but I have seen a helluva lot of students over the years.

Have you taken some classes in subjects that you just don't know much about but would like to explore? College is a great time to think outside the box, and to throw yourself into something new. When else will you have so much time on your hands for sheer intellectual exploration?

Have you taken a research-oriented class? All schools have some great researchers who are also great teachers. And great teachers support great students.

Do you get off campus at all?

Are you involved in sports or theatre or some other campus activity?

Are you involved in any sort of service project or perhaps a service fraternity? It's a great way to get away from the Gong Show aspects of campus life.
 

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