I was $20,000 in debt and standing outside the college of journalism. I had always wanted to be a writer, but people told me there was no money in it. I changed my major so I could walk a little taller despite the burden of debt on my shoulders.
Sometimes I see people walking down the sidewalk carrying an armload of biology books, and I want to flag them down and tell them to stop. I want to say they should pursue the one thing in life they really want to do. I would say they could toss those books down on the ground, walk away, and never look back.
They wouldn’t listen to me. The voice of their father, who they don’t even know is ringing too clearly in their ears, deafens them. The father never told his child that he loved her. He didn’t have time. He only told her he wanted success for his daughter, and that means a life of work.
The student will be wealthy. She will have a nice car and a nice home. She will never see her children. When they get old enough, she will send her children to college to achieve success. When she finally retires, she is old and tired. She looks back on her life and wonders where it went. She has all this money, but she is too tired and weak to enjoy it. All she can do is await death. This is the American dream.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - D
I LOVED this piece! I am currently struggling with college and I've been back and forth with what is expected of me, what I'm "called" to do, and what I want to do. I never was really into school like many thought I was or should have been. After struggling (another semester) with dissatisfaction and anger, I'm trying to reach out to those who can point me in the right direction, where ever that leads.
2 - Kelly F
This was beautifully written. I was just having a conversation about this the other day with my boyfriend and you managed to put into words what I could not clearly articulate. Thank you for that. I hate to use a cliche, but life really is about the journey and not the destination.
3 - Naru
I can't imagine not enjoying my major. I got a high enough mark to do a 'harder' science, but I chose psychology anyway. And I love the content, it's interesting and once I'm done, I'll have the capacity to show people how to reach their full potential.
My boyfriend on the other hand. He is not enjoying his major. He's doing really well, but he's not enjoying himself. He's doing the course that he's doing because he wants to earn lots of money when he's done. That is the reason behind it.
My belief is that if you don't enjoy what you do, change.
4 - Sierra
I totally agree with this but there's one thing... Some of those kids WANT to do what their doing. I'm a biology major so that I can help people by being a doctor. I chose my major and am quite happy with it.
5 - itsalljustaride
I love this, because that's essentially what I did. I started out as a Comp Sci major, and decided after a half-semester that it wasn't going to be for me. So I changed to Anthropology. Now, funny enough, I work in a job where I manage a computer network, and build websites, etc.
The problem is, not everyone can do that. I got extremely lucky in finding a job. I have grave doubts about the ability of Anthropology majors' ability to find jobs in today's economy. Even the teaching jobs are going away as universities cut back on new hires.
I had a second skill set that I could combine with my degree to be more marketable, and that's what I would advise. Find a major that will at least get you a job out of college, that you DO still like in some way, but maybe double major or minor in something you absolutely LOVE too. Adding a minor usually won't cost you too much time/money comparitively.
6 - jim
what if the one thing they want to do is biology?
7 - Grae
It is more important to follow your bliss than to follow your wallet.
As one of the aforementioned anthropology majors who will have trouble finding work in this economy... So be it. It is what I enjoy, and I know that when push comes to shove, I am a harder worker than damned near anybody else. I can forge a place for myself, and I will. Let nobody tell me different, for like the good book says, I'll tie a millstone to 'em and toss 'em in the water. Okay, maybe not, but they won't stand in my way.
Let nobody tell you that what you want is unattainable. The only person who can say that is yourself, and once you say it, so it must be.
8 - Gretchen
Wonderfully written piece. However, I'm sure not everyone with the major you used to have hates it.
9 - judolphin
Well... good for you... But I will say this. Being a doctor is one of the few professions that actually can help people in a profound way. Also, being a doctor is one of the few professions (along with astronaut and firefighter) that children genuinely tend to want to become when they grow up. With this in mind, your (apparent) take that no one really wants to become a doctor is pretty bizarre.
For the record, my parents wanted me to be a doctor as well. I started Pre-Med, then changed to Computer Science, because I liked computers and discovered I didn't like anatomy. There were many classmates that ate up Pre-Med -- they really were passionate about becoming doctors. They were genuine. So I have to vehemently disagree with your opinion that ambition/making money is equal to unhappiness. Personally, I make decent enough money and I choose to limit myself to 40-45 hours a week. If a job doesn't allow that, I leave and find something else, usually with a pay raise.
With that in mind, medicine is one of the only fields where you can make good money doing something that (a.) has a chance to be fulfilling and (b.) doesn't force you to work 80 hour weeks unless you choose to do so. Being a physician (not a surgeon or OB/GYN, etc. who's on call 24/7) is a great career choice for people who want to raise families and be with their spouses and children. I agree with this part of your sentiment: you shouldn't blindly chase money, and if you're happy in a $20k per year job and your family's not going hungry, more power to you. But I think you (the author) took a flying leap from your father's point of view to the polar opposite. That attitude of "ambition and money are bad" (which, despite what your intentions might have been, is undoubtedly the tone of your piece) to me is poor advice that will affect kids' lives for the worse.
10 - Manal
That's right .. we should enjoy life and its experiences but in the same time we should have a some sort of a real dream to aim for.
11 - ev
i love you.
12 - Alan
Found this via StumbleUpon, and I couldn't agree with you more. I teach vocational education to adults and most of them will make more than your average college graduate. Here's the kicker though, only 21% of the jobs in the US actually require a college degree. Save your money and get out while you can.
13 - Erik
Poorly written, and poorly thought out. Your arguments are muddled, and your treatment of the whole topic is incredibly naive.
First off, what's your critique? Is it that college is pointless, or that everyone who is studying to become a doctor secretly doesn't want to? Is it perhaps that the search for material wealth destroys the family, or that success is measured incorrectly?? If you were forced to go to college, that's one thing, and if you were forced to go pre-med, that's another. If you had a magical epiphany that success isn't all about money, thanks Disney/Lifetime/Socrates for that original thought.
College is a signal to employers that you can do the work. It is a separating tool. College IS necessary to get a job and subsist above poverty, without an incredibly undue amount of work to get up on equal footing.
Not all people who go to college study something they hate. Furthermore, studying something you hate doesn't mean you have to work in something you hate.
Making a lot of money does not mean you're not happy. In fact, making a lot of money might make some people very happy. Just because your own happiness is not linked to material wealth doesn't mean others' aren't as well. Additionally, making a lot of money does not necessarily mean neglecting one's family.
Finally, your amalgam of trite thoughts and poor grammar ends with an attempt at a "deep" ending spearing the American dream that is both tired and cliche.
Sounds like a poorly written college admissions essay about "something I learned that changed me."
14 - stoutie
This is exactly what i was thinking, I want to write poetry and paint on my own time, pursue my dreams and it seems like hats going to happen soon. Is there an associates degree you can get for dropping out of college half way?
I feel like i could be learning for free, and not wasting my parents money. I wont be in debt like 70% of the other students, so i can thank my hardworking parents for that.
15 - Alex
You are providing awful advice to a generation growing up in a society where the college diploma is the new high school diploma. Yes, I admit that college can be trivial in some aspects, but it is the worst advice ever to tell people to drop their books! are you serious???????? Its only four years, suck it up, take on the debt, and you will have infinitely more options in front of you in your future. There are two types of workers in society: college graduates, and the rest. If you really want to sink to the bottom of the labor force, and explain to potential employers why you dropped out of school for the rest of your life, then by all means take this forever-minimum-wager-earner's advice.
16 - Anonymous
Some people enjoy their major/college experience and some don't, it is NEVER black and white like your essay makes it out to be.
17 - Dan
I don't think that the people critiquing this are really looking at this the right way. It wasn't the point that you shouldn't be a doctor, or that you should even quit college its that you shouldn't be so high strung on title and so focused on obtaining monetary objects.
Its about happiness, and you get that by helping others, and by helping those close to you. You can relate this blog to other people that are in situation's similar to this and who were raised in similar situations.
While others, like Erik, are not in the same state of mind, and this is not a problem for them.
Happiness can be achieved differently for people, some people are happy killing... Who are we to judge how to get happiness... It is an activated state of mind that is learned.
I find it hard to know what makes you happy in modern times because our emotions are so tied into what we see in advertising these days.
Advertisements in TV, Radio, Newspapers, all tie certain emotions to a feeling and then people think that they have to go through life obtaining objects or accomplishments just to be content...
The thing that we fail to see is that we can be content with just about anything, its is a matter of training our mind to respond to our environment and surroundings.
If you truly feel that you are suppose to make little money, making your form of art, as an expression of yourself, then do it. It will be more satisfying.
The only thing I ask is that you do what you want, not what an outside influence is making you or persuading you to do. This requires cleansing your mind of all that is impure; such as drugs, alcohol, and TV (Examples, there are many other things that could possibly Influence you to be a certain way) This might be trivial though, because it may take an outside influence for you to decide what you truly want to do.
18 - Dan
GO TO COLLEGE FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
19 - Scott Dorsey
I love this and as for some people saying that you say people dont want to be doctors and are doing it because someone told them to is not what hes trying to say. what hes trying to say that go for what you love weather your in a med school and want to be a writer or your a writer and you want to go to med school just follow your heart no matter what your currently doing dont waste your time its the journey not your destination that matters this is the best time of your life dont waste it studying away in room live life to the fullest while your young......
20 - wei
This essay is a misnomer, but it was good to read.
21 - Erik
If the message was "do what you want to do," then it got lost in "college is for suckers." While I assume the former message was Kendall's intended point, the essay started with a wrong title, meandered from cliche to cliche, and ended with a terrible oversimplification.
Also, for the record, Dan - I'm nihilist to a fault. I DO do what I value and not what society tells me to, and I'm not sure what state of mind you're assuming I'm in. I was simply critiquing the writing of the essay and its lack of coherence. Regardless of whether or not the ATTEMPTED point is valid, the internet is full of enough drivel that we shouldn't reward something just because it beats (or supposedly attempts to beat) the dead horse that is "follow your heart." Whatever happened to good writing? Shall we move on next to the Myspace pages of lovelorn 7th grade girls? We can tell them their atrocious poetry is great, with its "deep meaning" in the sense that black and death usually represent sadness.
My main point (as I bow out at risk of becoming a troll) is, "Good luck, sir, in becoming a writer, if that is your best work. I certainly hope you at least finished your degree."
22 - Andrew K
If the auto industry has taught me anything, it's that tons of money can fall into the laps of totally undeserving (but still hard-working) people.
I should just drop out of college and go to work at a car plant in Detroit. With the (god-awful and nation-ruining) wonderful addition of trade unions, I can make upwards of $30/hr ($60,000/year) screwing nuts onto bolts.
Otherwise, I'm going to spend 4 years at a university learning about the rich history of the English language and literature so I can end up as someone's secretary? No thanks.
College IS for suckers. You're right.
23 - ocgolfer
not going to college? thats funny.. have fun working at wal mart the rest of your life making 10 bucks an hour at the top of your career there. college is the best time of your life. after that real life comes at ya and it sucks. but what will suck even more is if your trying to make it into the real world with no college education. sure 2% of the people that dont go to college will turn out alright but what about the other 98%.. well ill tell you where they are. do you see all of those aprtment?? well guess what 75% of apartments are tended by... there tended by non college graduates. thats just something to think about. im sure your decision on dropping out of college wont haunt you for the rest of your life. good luck to everyone that was or is to lazy to write a few little papers and study a few hours a day. im sure the real world isnt to bad with no college degree...NOT!!!
24 - Bio
a lot of us are biology majors because we enjoy biology and want to pursue careers in it.
25 - Ali
"Its about happiness, and you get that by helping others, and by helping those close to you"
sounds like the antagonist Ellsworth Toohey in Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead."
And going further with this book, I agree with Ayn Rand's main point: why should one be ashamed of making money or measuring success materially? That's not your own personal measure of happiness, but it is for a great number of people.
Your essay is typical of someone who didn't do well in college, so you would rather blame societies standards for your failures rather than take personal responsibility.