As most readers of my site should know at this point, I started a university course not too long ago. I am studying a branch in computer sciences. It is pretty nice so far, however as you read in the title, it is not perfect.
So, why go to university?
I thought about it a lot and came to some personal conclusions. For one, it is socially enriching and secondly it can help you get a basic understanding on specific subjects. Before I thought that university is sort of useless, but I disagree with that train of thought now. IF the professors are good and IF the people around you care enough and IF you have what it takes to just power through the course, university MIGHT be worth something!
Of course in other fields university isn’t only a good plus, but necessary. If you want to be a doctor, psychologist or a lawyer, there might not be any way around learning text books by memory.
Why wouldn’t you want to study then?
Depending on where you live, university can be extremely expensive and thus might be a detriment to your personal growth. Getting a degree in art history might be a nice little thing if you are interested in the subject, but is it worth it to go in massive debt because of it? That is up to you to decide.
But even if you do not live in america, studying can be pretty expensive. Living alone costs thousands of euros a year, including buying food, taking care of rent or even transportation costs. Own a car? Don’t forget to pay tax on that as well.
Don’t forget the social game
I also think that not playing the social game can lead to a downfall. Find people that are into the matter. Reach out to them, form a study group and grind through the subjects together. The alternative might just be falling behind and not getting any momentum in your studies, resulting in failing a class, or maybe even the entire course. Some of you might think that you are “lone wolves” but I highly doubt that is true. Humans are social animals and we need human connection in our lives, no matter what kind of connection it is.
For any introverts out there, I can tell ya this: Connecting with others is incredibly easy! You just gotta be a bit proactive yourself to help people loosen up and start yapping their mouths. I have dealt with social anxiety before and did not go to bar tours and events in my previous university. I went on the bar tour for this university though and I can assure you, it is not only about the drinking.
How easy is connecting really?
You don’t need a hyper personality, nor do you need to be a center of attention at all. Start off by recognizing people around you, and simply say something like “Hey whats up?” and simply introduce yourself. Everyone is awkward at first. They have no idea who everyone is and are just as lost as you. So why not try and break the ice first?
“But Cheecken, my case is much more extreme, I cannot talk to people!“
Then it really is time for you to improve your social game. Try to grow past your anxieties and fears, instead of falling victim to them. Trust me, you will reap the rewards soon enough.
My view on the university course I visit so far:
It is ok. I guess. I met really cool people and I am sure we will keep grinding away at the subjects we study together. Also, I am learning many interesting things. I am refreshing my programming skills, trying to actively master mathematics, a subject I struggle in a lot and much more, like system administration and how computers actually function.
I do have a sour taste in my mouth though. Mostly when it comes to the job opportunities later, including many which are exploitative and scary to think about. Not only because I think that my future can be a bit grey, but also because our professors think our future might be a bit grey. Requiring a lot of knowledge and many hours of work for a badly paid job seems to be some sort of twisted joke that isn’t all that funny for the professors their. Our course is tailored directly for the games industry side of things and hell, you really don’t get paid anything there!
Another problem is how certain classes work. Some classes require you to be present and others don’t, but that is not the problem in my eyes. The classes that are problematic to me, are the ones that obviously have not been visited keenly by anyone years prior. It is clear as day what the professor wants to achieve, telling people that there are no transcripts online, forcing them to pay attention in boring lectures and if they missed a lecture, they have a harder time soaking up the knowledge. Some professors don’t think too much about the students and more about their courses being visited.
Some other professors aren’t like that, but rather just make impractical decisions, like for instance offering “practice sessions” but those “practice sessions” consist of only sitting in a lecture hall with 100+ other students, repeating what the homework assignment was.
Oh and remember, studying ALWAYS amounts to SELF STUDYING!!!
Going to university means many things in one. Yes you are there to learn, but your success is up to you and ONLY to you. Cheating does not work, since you will go into a job later on you don’t know a thing about. Is your friend at fault for you getting a failing grade? What about the professor who didn’t like you throughout the course?
The reality is, the problem was with you.
You can’t expect anyone to care about what your learning strategies are, if you are proactive enough to form friendships and study groups or that you sign into the exams of the semester. Everything is dependent on you and professors only have a slight influence in your success most of the times. Do you think the lectures don’t help you? Let the internet and exercise books help you. Find solutions to your problem yourself instead of playing a victim.
So, that is my university experience up until now.
It is ok, but it could be so much better. Maybe you study right now and feel like its wearing you down and it may be pointless, but just remember: This is not only about getting a job. This is about learning to commit, learning to learn and maybe even learning to accept failure.
I wish you the best of luck in your studies and I hope that this blog was more encouraging than it was discouraging. Keep grinding, and have great success in your learning journey!
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