Quotes & Comments

The work never ends, but college does …
—Tom Petty, singer and songwriter

It does and it doesn’t.
I thought college ended for me at one point, but I was mistaken.
As a non-traditional college student who has walked in and out of the buildings of Western Michigan University for the past seven years, I find myself in quite a new position.
I found myself in a weird position when I came back to college.  Not only did I barely know anyone, but I was taking classes with kids just walking out of high school.

My first go-around in college I took education courses and I could likely have been taking classes two semesters ago with the very same students I taught during my student-teaching stint.  It was, at the moment, a very chilling thought.
In the end, however, I’m happy I did come back to college.

Deep down inside, I didn’t want to teach high school history and English for the better part of my life.  Teaching is a serviceable profession and I have a lot of appreciation for those that go in everyday and attempt to mold the minds of the youth in this nation.  It’s no easy task these days and I found that out first hand.

I was lucky that college ended for me when it did.
Looking back, I think I might have felt more pressure to get a job right out of college teaching anywhere, especially with the nation’s economy the way it is currently.
Now, there really is no choice.

I added a journalism major to my existing degree and feel now, finally, I am ready to make my mark on the world.
Tom Petty was right in some respects in that the work never ended, even when I came back to college.

Final exams were just as hard the second time around and the procrastination that was always evident my first time through lingered and was still prevalent my second time through Western Michigan.
Looking at it from another angle and the same one Petty is looking at, I did enjoy a longer college career than most.  I thoroughly have had the best years of my life living in Kalamazoo.

College is a fun time that everyone needs to take advantage of.  I came to WMU in 2002 and feel as though it was just yesterday.  It’s cliche, I know, but value your time in college.
Getting an education is important and college is a good time to vault yourself into a successful career and life.  But also remember to have fun while doing it.

I know one day I’ll look back on all my years in college and look back on all of the things I did outside the classroom above everything else.

—Adam Bouton
Sports reporter / Copy editor

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=5693

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Apr 13 2009. Filed under Opinion, Quotes & Comments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
Web Manager: I'm a Communication Student at WMU, a SCUBA Diver, Boater, Ordained Minister, Notary Public, Web Designer, Film Maker, DJ, and of course a Journalist. Born and raised in Port Huron, MI and a graduate of SC4. http://www.codykimball.com