What is this push for kids to graduate from college at breakneck speed all the while accomplishing everything imaginable in terms of extracurricular activities?
Granted, it took me a full five years to graduate and I was on track to graduate in 3. Two successive mental breakdowns and one really bad break-up basically put me in a situation where school just didn't seem that important compared to other things. Oh, and I was broke. Working 30 hours/week and carrying a full course-load is next to fucking impossible if you're trying to maintain any dignity/sanity/composure.
When I did return to school the next term to finish, I was no more motivated to get up at 6:30 a.m. everyday to catch a bus to class than I had been before - I simply tolerated the inconvenience because I needed a damn degree.
One of my assistants is basically working himself sick. Not here, so much, but in all the stuff has has going on the side. He works with a campus publication, is taking too many high-level classes, and then tries to schlep himself all the way out here to Egypt to work for a few hours a week. Basically, when the kid gets sick he stays sick because he has a whole bunch of ailments building on top of each other...bronchitis, upper respiratory infection, etc.
He probably hasn't had a full eight hours of sleep since high school.
While I'm severely short-staffed in my "department" I know how the kid feels. It just isn't worth it to work yourself to death for a few résumé bullets.
Posted by Tiffany at February 28, 2006 07:39 AM | TrackBackI took 12 years to graduate (4 schools, 6 years in the Marines - four of them in Japan, marriage, two kids, and a full time job for the last 5 years) so I am the worst example. I did get out owing nothing, with high honors, so it wasn't all bad. It does, however, limit my ability to complain about the kids taking too long...
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