Degree or Education?

It seems like at the beginning of every semester, panic mode sets in as I work out my schedule, finances, deadlines, etc. It never takes the form of an all-out panic attack, but it is an unsettling worry in the pit of my stomach as I see my life (and my finances) flash before my eyes. It appears as if every 4-5 months I am faced with the reoccurring issue of, "What am I doing with my life?" and "Is this the best way to spend my money?".

Sometimes my restless nature gets the better of me and I concoct a plan to quit school all together, move to New Zealand, and find work as I begin life in a completely different hemisphere. But, obviously, common sense takes over and my grand ideas are usually obliterated in a very abrupt fashion.

It has taken me 21 years to come to this realization, but I am slowly understanding that these thoughts and impulsive desires are not unusual, and definitely not uncommon. In fact, I can't tell you how many people i know who reach their Junior year of college and realize that they aren't so sure of what they want anymore. This usually means that they change their major, renew their lease, and prepare to become a 5, 6, or 7 year senior.

Is this how we are supposed to spend our lives?

I do not know the answer to that question.

It continually frustrates me to see the way that cultural America binds young people (mostly women) into a vicious cycle of wasting away their time and money when they are still clueless as to what vocation they desire. Kevin DeYoung in his book Just Do Something proposes that part of the problem is that we simply have far to many choices. Our ancestors knew that when they reached the proper age they would take over the family farm, pick a mate from the 12 eligible young people in the community, and live peacefully with a full understanding of commitment and responsibility.

In the year 2012 at the University of Alabama, we have about 6 million majors to pick from, 89 trillion student organizations/clubs, and plenty of banks willing to lend us thousands of dollars to complete a double major with a concentration and a resume of all our extracurricular activities. Not only that, but we can spend all our summers abroad studying in Italy or working in prestigious internships with the company of our choosing.  The opportunities are endless, but yet almost everyone near graduation reverts to full out panic mode as they try to decide what to do with their life. 

Seriously, whats a girl to do?

Is getting a college degree the same as being educated? Does graduating college mean that I am intelligent, well-spoken, well-read, relational, capable of abstract thought, and possessing wisdom and common sense?  Sometimes, but it is far from a guarantee.

I don't have answers to the problems I have presented. I am simply a 21-year old female trying to figure out what to do with my life, and I promise that I'm not the only one facing these questions.

But I do want to challenge the American public to re-evaluate what defines education. And what makes a person intelligent. If we really stop and examine our perspective, then we would probably realize that it takes a whole lot more than a college degree.

To all those struggling like me, I want to encourage you to pursue a degree wholeheartedly if that is what you desire, but more importantly, pursue wisdom. Pursue critical thinking, social adaptability, classic literature, logic, etc. Pursue understanding the great minds of the past. And ultimately, pursue loving the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. Because that is what this life is all about, folks.  A diploma itself does not have eternal value.