A charter boat fishing excursion in Maine. I was the only one who caught nothing. A crappy $40 boat ride. But the beers were only a dollar and I didn't have to tip the mates who filetted the fish.
Alas, with gainful employment opportunities becoming ever increasingly more skilled, mechanized and elusive, combined with the market being saturated with a wave of nugatory degrees, unless one obtains an ADVANCED degree (Masters or higher) in the sciences, engineering, medicine or, possibly, law, attending college at this juncture is a complete waste of time... and money.
Yes, and also the degree obtained/field of study itself. A degree in civil engineering carries vastly more weight and privileges than a degree in, shall we say, fine arts, Aboriginal studies, political science or Eastern philosophy.
It's not as affordable as it once was, but ideally, an undergraduate education shouldn't be just about getting a job. There's a great deal to learn intellectually and socially at 18-22 years old. I majored in history at a big Ivy League school and grew and benefited a lot from it. Learned a lot about how to think and how to write. It definitely was not a waste of time, but I did better professionally after going on for my MBA.
Yes, S.T.E.M. degrees carry a lot of weight and are highly in demand. The problem is that the vast majority of students graduate—$100,000 (or more) in debt I might add—with degrees in subjects such as fine arts, cultural studies, political science or Eastern philosophy thinking they will land a lucrative career. They are in for a very rude awakening! With these degrees, the only "professional" jobs they can most likely obtain are teaching positions which, unfortunately, don't pay much anymore against the cost of living unless you teach at a collegiate level.
Also, could I ask, did you apprentice while still in college or did you begin your job search upon graduation?
During my final year I was assigned a student teaching position at a local high school for one quarter. I began a job search shortly thereafter. I only interviewed at two school when I got a call from Toledo Public Schools. I taught my first year at the school I graduated from. My loan debt was $140,000.
Glad you were in a position to have such a fortunate run of events alas, many students aren't so fortunate. As for me, even though my degree makes the lists of "Most Useless Degrees" by numerous economic pundits, I myself was fortunate enough to attend college on a full scholarship and subsequnetly graduated with absolutely no student debt whatsoever! Actually, I was reimbursed around $10,000 in unused tuition.
In my early 20s, I desperately wanted a Coach purse but didn't want to pay $250. On a trip to Florida, I saw the bag discounted at a department store for $125 and grabbed it. When I got home and put all my things in it, it was so heavy on my shoulder that I couldn't use it. Fortunately, when I was out in the Hamptons one summer, I went to a Coach outlet and they told me to take it to the Coach store in NYC and that they would give me a refund of the lowest sale price, which turned out to be $125.00. I learned my lesson thereafter. :)
Ever since I returned that bag, I have used a Sporto fabric one. Has all the zipped pockets I need and is very lightweight and washable. They last forever, too.
Before I was of age to consume alcoholic beverages I would peruse the cocktail menus of the restaurants we dined in and imagine how great those fancy sounding cocktails must taste. Finally when I was old enough, I was able to indulge and I could order all the drinks I wanted but then after a few I began to feel dizzy and sick from the alcohol and have to run to the can barfing my guts out.
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