Is It Worth It? - The Dilemma of College Life

[abdo375]

Is it worth it??

last week i meet a friend of mine i knew in high school

he's this failing for the second year in college because all he does is goes to parties ,meet girls and have fun he never studies even when we where in high school he never did

the thing is that every time i meet him he seems to be enjoying his life more than i ever did, don't get me wrong I'm enjoying my EE study but it's just that every time i meet this guy i question what i am doing with my life ,some people tell me that in the future you will gain the seeds of what your doing,
but i am not a total nerd too i don't study that hard my self i have a GPA of 3.5 so i was wondering if it's worth it ?

 

[Serbian.matematika]

abdo, don't give up, you are the right one. just be proud of yourself. i would rather "date" you than friend of yours. Good luck!

 

[tmc]

life isn't a competition.

 

[moose]

life isn't a competition.

Since when?



Just remember, he can't party for his entire life. Someday he will be wishing that he was studying more!

 

[Mulder]

^Plenty of people go to college mainly for a good time. If he ends up happy in life, happy with his employment and financial status and doesn't regret not working hard at school then what's the problem? If he complains in the future and regrets his missed chances, then you can laugh. People are different though, and have different goals. Just do what you feel is right.

 

[abdo375]

Wht about you guys do you think it's worth it ?

 

[quasi426]

You should try to make a balance that's best for you, that makes you feel happy and satisfied with yourself. At the same time you should understand that your only in college for a short period of time relative to the rest of your life, and that you should make the most of it. But don't be unhappy doing it. Sure there will be sacrifices, but that's how anything worth becoming requires. If it was easy everyone would do it. So just work hard (if that's what you want to do) and enjoy your life as well.

 

[mathwonk]

there is an old saying about people we used to call nerds in school: i.e. what do we call them now? "boss".

 

[Renge Ishyo]

School is a place for people who want to learn about the world they live in. If you view it as a means to an end or as a place to meet girls, it is going to seem like a waste of time because that is not what school is meant to be. If you are interested in what is going on around you then by all means continue your studies. If that is undesirable and ignorance seems like the happier route to take for the moment then that is another choice ("Ignorance is bliss" after all). At the same time, I can tell you from my experiences with life (I was thrust out into the working world at a very early age) that being in the dark in this world puts you in serious danger. How will you know who to trust or what to do if you don't know much of anything about the world to start with? What's more: How could you protect people you love, like your wife and kids, if you haven't a clue about what's going on around you? School can help you down the road, at least I don't hear many people who have gone through the process and received their degrees that are now wishing they could give them back to go smoke out in the bathroom with the "cool kids" (no, it is usually the cool kids that regret blowing their chances later on in life).

 

[Cyrus]

I have a friend like that. He changed his major from comp-sci, which he was REALLY good at, to economics (I think). He goes out to clubs and parties and drinks a lot now. I lost my respect for him, so I more or less stopped being his friend. Its kind of harsh, but I learned too late in life that if your not around people that are motivated to be the BEST and are passionate in life, even if its something your not interested in, then they bring you down. (else, why would you have made this post in the first place?) Anyways, if he's not helping you succeed, he's HURTING you. Just something to ponder. But I agree, its a stinky situation to be in, because you like the guy at the same time. Hopefully next time you can post about a friend you have made that motivates you to be the best you can be, but those people are really far and few between.

 

[Mulder]

^I think if you can't learn to live with friends that don't have the same hard working attitude to life as you, then it's you that's got the problem. You shoudn't need your friends to motivate you to be the best you can be.

Abdo, maybe he has changed so much, particularly after not seeing him for a long time that it is difficult to stay friends, which is understandable. But can't you respect that his aims in life are probably different, and not let this affect you?

 

[Corneo]

Most of my roommates are like your friend. A lot of them do not study, and when they do they complain about how hard their major is (Art).

 

[quasi426]

Before we all get carried away about how difficult physical science and engineering majors are we should not look down upon those who choose other paths that they enjoy much more. My girlfriend is an art major, and she takes her classes very seriously, staying up all night trying to make her project as creative and expressive as possible.

 

[jcsd]

Before we all get carried away about how difficult physical science and engineering majors are we should not look down upon those who choose other paths that they enjoy much more. My girlfriend is an art major, and she takes her classes very seriously, staying up all night trying to make her project as creative and expressive as possible.

Au contraire, yes we should!

To expand, we should not pretend that an art degrees are generally worth the same as physics degrees.

 

[moose]

Au contraire, yes we should!

To expand, we should not pretend that an art degrees are generally worth the same as physics degrees.

"Worth" is extremely subjective in this case.

 

[quasi426]

Au contraire, yes we should!

To expand, we should not pretend that an art degrees are generally worth the same as physics degrees.

Looking down on something that is generally "worth" less is approaching a narrow-mindedness that is very sad. Sometimes it takes a lot of courage for someone to learn something they enjoy even with all the pressures placed upon them by a society that generates lucrative opportunities for those who learn science and engineering.

 

[leon1127]

last week i meet a friend of mine i knew in high school
he's this failing for the second year in college because all he does is goes to parties ,meet girls and have fun he never studies even when we where in high school he never did
the thing is that every time i meet him he seems to be enjoying his life more than i ever did, don't get me wrong I'm enjoying my EE study but it's just that every time i meet this guy i question what i am doing with my life ,some people tell me that in the future you will gain the seeds of what your doing,
but i am not a total nerd too i don't study that hard my self i have a GPA of 3.5 so i was wondering if it's worth it ?

The cost and joy of parties are directly proportional to your education level and income....
so just wait!~

 

[ek]

I try to go out and have fun once a week.

I don't care how much work you have, you can always find time for one night of friviolous fun if that is indeed what you want.

I spend so much time with my head stuffed in one book or another, doing countless assignments and labs, that I need some kind of escape once in a while.

Ahhh...such is the life of a physics student. Sometimes I wish I was a history major or something. Sometimes. Then I realize that this is really what I want to do in life and that all the hard work is more than worth it.

 

[jcsd]

"Worth" is extremely subjective in this case.

There's always a certian about of subjectivty when comparing different subjects, but in terms of time, effort, the brains required and value in the job market (physics graduates come up as top earners 6 months after graduation earning on average 50% more than art graduates who come out bottom).

 

[jcsd]

Looking down on something that is generally "worth" less is approaching a narrow-mindedness that is very sad. Sometimes it takes a lot of courage for someone to learn something they enjoy even with all the pressures placed upon them by a society that generates lucrative opportunities for those who learn science and engineering.

But is it not unfair on a physics student, who has had to work a lot harder and demonstrate much more intellegence in order to earn his degree to pretend there is parity.

 

[moose]

There's always a certian about of subjectivty when comparing different subjects, but in terms of time, effort, the brains required and value in the job market (physics graduates come up as top earners 6 months after graduation earning on average 50% more than art graduates who come out bottom).

If a person I knew went into the physics field for this reason alone, I would have no respect for them at all and they would probably be horrible physicists.

Also, if a person absolutely loves art, then an art degree will be worth more for them than a physics degree...

You are bassically saying that anyone who doesn't take physics is taking the easy way out... That's stupid.

 

[jcsd]

If a person I knew went into the physics field for this reason alone, I would have no respect for them at all and they would probably be horrible physicists.
Also, if a person absolutely loves art, then an art degree will be worth more for them than a physics degree...
You are bassically saying that anyone who doesn't take physics is taking the easy way out... That's stupid.

I'm not saying don't take art, I'm just saying that there is no point pretending the two degrees are worth the same!

 

[mathwonk]

to me, a lot of this current discussion is completely off base and pointless. judging from the original question, i think the real question is not about whether art or physics commands more money.

the point was whether it is worth investing a long period of hard work to enable you to work in the field you love most. the answer is yes, and every grown person knows this well, both those who have done it and those who have not.if you do what you know you should do as a young student, you will have a lifetime to enjoy the fruits of your labor. if not you willo have a lifetime to regret it.

my father ran away from home as a teenager and joined the railroad, instead of going to college. he regretted it all his life when he had to fill out qualification forms for the promotions that were very slow in coming. he constantly saw much less intelligent, less thoughtful, and even much less genuinely educated people rise above him.

nonetheless, i also goofed off in school and wasted years before acquiring the discipline needed to succeed in acdemics and science, but luckily received a second chance.

the question as to whether people who goof off all the time in school, not just once a week, are really having a more enjoyable life, is perhaps: yes now, but only very briefly, and only if you think frivolity and wasted talent is somehow satisfying.

soon most of them will not think so, and it may be too late to alter course.

on the other hand, sanity and physical health, require a regular break from work, such as dinner on friday night with friends, or a day off to play or watch sports, or enjoy a film or a book.

satisfying normal life means hard work, balanced with relaxation, not profligate behavior.peace

 

[Pyrrhus]

Yes, it's definately worth it. You know, the same thought has been on my mind recently, but what i concluded was, that you might simply need a balance between work and relaxation, read Mathwonk reply, it is gold in words!.

 

[abdo375]

to me, a lot of this current discussion is completely off base and pointless. judging from the original question, i think the real question is not about whether art or physics commands more money.

the point was whether it is worth investing a long period of hard work to enable you to work in the field you love most. the answer is yes, and every grown person knows this well, both those who have done it and those who have not.


if you do what you know you should do as a young student, you will have a lifetime to enjoy the fruits of your labor. if not you willo have a lifetime to regret it.

my father ran away from home as a teenager and joined the railroad, instead of going to college. he regretted it all his life when he had to fill out qualification forms for the promotions that were very slow in coming. he constantly saw much less intelligent, less thoughtful, and even much less genuinely educated people rise above him.

nonetheless, i also goofed off in school and wasted years before acquiring the discipline needed to succeed in acdemics and science, but luckily received a second chance.

the question as to whether people who goof off all the time in school, not just once a week, are really having a more enjoyable life, is perhaps: yes now, but only very briefly, and only if you think frivolity and wasted talent is somehow satisfying.

soon most of them will not think so, and it may be too late to alter course.

on the other hand, sanity and physical health, require a regular break from work, such as dinner on friday night with friends, or a day off to play or watch sports, or enjoy a film or a book.

satisfying normal life means hard work, balanced with relaxation, not profligate behavior.


peace

Thanx and WoW