Surviving Without a College Degree

Did you know that 64 percent of students across the world actually suffer from clinical depression?

Why is it that we are often warned from a young age about all the sexually transmitted diseases we should look out for, while attending post secondary education? However, nobody warns you how dreadful university and college can truly be at times. You hear stories and see videos about how university can be one of the best experiences of your life but, for most people this is not necessarily the case. In fact, more than half of students face an identity crisis during their years of study.

Half way through my first year of university, one of the hardest things for me to swallow was debating if university was the best decision for my future. Without attending school I had nothing (no talent or other hobby) to fall back on, which was extremely worrying at times.

For most students it is hard transitioning from high school to university. I thought, "okay, maybe this is just a phase and tomorrow I will wake up, and actually want to participate in school work again." The worst part about it was that since second grade I dreamt of becoming a teacher, but it was so frustrating for me to think school just was not for me. I wanted to become a teacher, but how could I be a teacher without school?

I used to love high school, what was going on? Why did I not like university? Why was it so difficult for me? Why was it that I might not want to pursue my lifetime dream?

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It wasn’t until my own boyfriend decided to drop out of school, that I figured I was not the only one who was struggling with the decision to stay in school. It also, wasn’t until my boyfriend dropped out of school, that I knew school was what I truly wanted.

Thankfully, my boyfriend has an amazing talent and skill set that allows him to pursue a life time career, without having to go to school however, me, myself, dreaming of becoming a teacher, I NEED school.

Luckily, I was able to regain my motivation during my second year of university. Scrolling through Instagram one night led to me to a teacher (@valencia_valencia), who posted videos of her teaching her students life long, memorable lessons. Which is exactly what I knew I wanted to do, from a young age. I spent hours watching these videos of her teaching, which brought me right back to where I was when I was applying for universities, and was excited to pursue my dream, thankfully.

Even though Valencia has no idea who I am, I feel like I will forever thank her internally for allowing me to find my motivation again.

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If there is anything I have learned over the past few years, it is that school isn't for everyone. Through the many different people that I have met in my four years of university, I have learned that some people just cannot do school. We live in a world with so many different personalities and abilities, that for some people school may be the only option whereas, for others, they simply cannot finish, or be damned to stay in school.

So many people I know are pursuing a dream that doesn’t involve school. I think that’s it’s great that we live in a world now, with so many other opportunities in life, that are available for people, that don't involve getting a degree. I believe if you are passionate about something that maybe isn’t the “norm” in society, and you don’t necessarily need school for it, then don’t do it. Spreading your knowledge for the world to see is an amazing thing. We are all unique in our own ways and it truly is amazing to see people spreading their knowledge in all sorts of different ways, that we didn’t know was even possible.

Many people have asked me if university is worth it and for myself, once I become a teacher, I will say, yes, it is worth it. However, if I had a dream or a talent that I did not need school to pursue then, no, I would say don’t go to university or college for something you’re not even passionate about or enjoy. You will end up wasting money, time, and effort, that you could have put into your true calling.

If there is one thing I want you to take away from this, it is that you do not need school to become successful. Some of the smartest people I've talked to in my lifetime, in fact, have chosen not to pursue post secondary school. If you simply cannot afford it, or if you simply cannot see yourself in school, it's okay. Find something you're passionate about, and invest all your time and energy into something that will actually be worth your time in the future.

Of course you’re going to have people who are going to doubt you, or judge you, for your decision but, you cannot please everyone. If you lived a life pleasing everyone but yourself, would you truly be happy? Live for you. The only person who knows best for you, is YOU.

Why not take a chance for yourself? You never know what will come out of it. You could be a millionaire. A billionaire. But, you will never know until you take that leap of faith. Don’t be afraid. And if it doesn't work out, that's okay too. Often people think that you have to be in a rush to start your life, and that you have to have everything figured out by the time you hit 23 but, that is not the case at all. Don’t rush. Your time will come when it is your time. If it hasn't come yet, it's simply just not your time yet.

Once again...

Your time will come when it is YOUR time. If nothing has come to you yet, it is simply not your time yet. Be patient.