Like all parents, mine were insistent that I complete college.  They never went to college, so what was the big deal?  I had just spent twelve years of my life in school, why would I want to go back for four more? I wanted a job, a car and money and I wanted it now!  So day after day, I sat at a desk, making five dollars an hour, asking myself “Is this it?” Wanting more in life than just a low paying steady paycheck, I applied to college and ditched the desk job. As the prolific American philosopher Will Durant once wrote, “Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.” My ignorance led me to get educated.

Pride and a Piece of Paper

As I heard my name called and crossed the stage to receive my degree, something in me changed.  I realized that no one could take this away from me.  I had a new found confidence that I had never felt before and actually felt accomplished after hundreds of late nights studying and years working toward a single goal.  I achieved what I set out to do and it felt amazing!

When the Going Gets Tough…

When I asked my dad why he was so insistent that I complete college, he told me that in the real world, it’s not as much about what your degree is in, but that you have one.  I’ve interviewed for companies that didn’t even ask what my major was, they just wanted to know if I HAD a college degree.  Having a degree shows that you can dedicate yourself to something and complete the task without quitting when the going gets tough.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had jobs that required my degree in Biology, but now, as a Media Consultant, my degree is framed in my office as a constant reminder of what I was able to achieve.  Good ole dad was right!