Eric Rosenbaum
Staff Writer '19
Staff Writer '19
In my experience, it is not necessary. It is a given. My mom went to Brandeis University, setting her up to be a lawyer. My dad went to Vassar College, going on to become a doctor. From a young age, my parents always instilled in me the value of “helping people”. They help others in their careers. I know, being a lawyer hardly counts - but my mom is a lawyer for children, so if she “can say something to a child that is inspiring, or meaningful, it can give the child the confidence to go out and do something great for this world!” This kind of speech was not rare in my household. To gain respect from my parents, I had to help people. To do that, uh… I would need a job. In order to get a job I would need-
College. Still, today, the idea of it is so massive that I could not possibly wrap my head around it. When I think of college, I think of a teen tour, but with classes. Gross. I mean the only good part of college, the way my friends talk about it, are the parties, the girls, and the frats. For one of my brothers, college was doing nutty things in an underground frat. The other brother thought of college as a means of going out, without particularly enjoying his classes. My sister however, is having a different experience. She goes out and parties but it’s her involvement that is intriguing. She is tied to the campus in so many different ways, and despite feeling burned out - she genuinely enjoys her education.
I never had a doubt about college until I went to Italy this summer. The atmosphere was so incredibly different, it blew my mind. As I walked throughout Florence, I noticed how slow the people were walking. It was unlike New York City, per se, where people run through traffic - risking lives to be at their meeting on time. I always figured that jobs were more important in Manhattan. They were high-paying. In Florence, I did not find any of this. The only jobs I noticed were salesmen, waiters, a man in a food cart. People smiled. What!
Perhaps even without a college education.
That was my takeaway from this summer, and I think about it everyday. My mind always takes me back to this memory of going out with my siblings in Italy and expecting to hit some fancy club, only to find that the hottest spot that night were the steps of a random building; people sat, smoked cigarettes, and told stories to one another. There was no need for blasting music or strobe lights to have fun. I had always admired this idea of “work hard, play hard”. But at that moment, it just seemed stupid.
To be honest, I feel that some people work too hard around here. Hell, I take three night classes myself. I don’t even enjoy one of them (Chorus, not Journalism)! On days that I don’t have class, I go home and zonk out. I am asleep from five to seven, but I am still delirious until nine. That’s to make up for all of the hours I am up, not necessarily procrastinating, but not really getting the work done either. While writing an essay, the only thing driving me forward is the impending doom of reviewing my transcript Junior year and wishing for something else. Sometimes, I do not even attempt at writing something profound. I just type something decent up, hand it in, and smile - because it is satisfying in a way. I can sleep that night.
If you are dozing off reading this, it is okay because I am doing the same while writing this. It is because we have all written this exact paragraph somewhere in our journals. This is exactly my point. The pressure is too much, it’s too much, it’s too much for everyone. And it is not the school’s fault. It is-
College. Do I go? Yes, everyone in this town does. Well, most. I guess it’s not even about other people going. I want to go. I feel as though everyone learns something from college. It can be learning how to live away from home, or how to be the life of the party, or how to take something and make it your passion. Then, if you really love it, it will become yours. College is necessary. There was never a doubt in my mind. I just wish other people didn’t think the same.
College. Still, today, the idea of it is so massive that I could not possibly wrap my head around it. When I think of college, I think of a teen tour, but with classes. Gross. I mean the only good part of college, the way my friends talk about it, are the parties, the girls, and the frats. For one of my brothers, college was doing nutty things in an underground frat. The other brother thought of college as a means of going out, without particularly enjoying his classes. My sister however, is having a different experience. She goes out and parties but it’s her involvement that is intriguing. She is tied to the campus in so many different ways, and despite feeling burned out - she genuinely enjoys her education.
I never had a doubt about college until I went to Italy this summer. The atmosphere was so incredibly different, it blew my mind. As I walked throughout Florence, I noticed how slow the people were walking. It was unlike New York City, per se, where people run through traffic - risking lives to be at their meeting on time. I always figured that jobs were more important in Manhattan. They were high-paying. In Florence, I did not find any of this. The only jobs I noticed were salesmen, waiters, a man in a food cart. People smiled. What!
Perhaps even without a college education.
That was my takeaway from this summer, and I think about it everyday. My mind always takes me back to this memory of going out with my siblings in Italy and expecting to hit some fancy club, only to find that the hottest spot that night were the steps of a random building; people sat, smoked cigarettes, and told stories to one another. There was no need for blasting music or strobe lights to have fun. I had always admired this idea of “work hard, play hard”. But at that moment, it just seemed stupid.
To be honest, I feel that some people work too hard around here. Hell, I take three night classes myself. I don’t even enjoy one of them (Chorus, not Journalism)! On days that I don’t have class, I go home and zonk out. I am asleep from five to seven, but I am still delirious until nine. That’s to make up for all of the hours I am up, not necessarily procrastinating, but not really getting the work done either. While writing an essay, the only thing driving me forward is the impending doom of reviewing my transcript Junior year and wishing for something else. Sometimes, I do not even attempt at writing something profound. I just type something decent up, hand it in, and smile - because it is satisfying in a way. I can sleep that night.
If you are dozing off reading this, it is okay because I am doing the same while writing this. It is because we have all written this exact paragraph somewhere in our journals. This is exactly my point. The pressure is too much, it’s too much, it’s too much for everyone. And it is not the school’s fault. It is-
College. Do I go? Yes, everyone in this town does. Well, most. I guess it’s not even about other people going. I want to go. I feel as though everyone learns something from college. It can be learning how to live away from home, or how to be the life of the party, or how to take something and make it your passion. Then, if you really love it, it will become yours. College is necessary. There was never a doubt in my mind. I just wish other people didn’t think the same.