Every High School kid, having decided to go for higher education, must walk through the valley of colleges.
Weeding through thousands of options, you finally settle on a handful of colleges or universities to apply to. Here the trail through the valley becomes a trail of paper; tests, applications, essays, forms, pamphlets and brochures. Finally, the deadlines are met, if not on the very second.
Did I mention there is a canyon in this valley? Yes, you drop into it suddenly and find yourself waiting… in the dark. The future it seems will be decided on if the educating group will accept the learning individual.
During this dark waiting time, the high school student often thinks twice about going to college. “Is it going to be too hard? Will I fail? What if my roommate smells funny or hogs the bathroom or is the exact personality opposite? And worst of all, what will they do to the incoming freshman?”
As best as possible the poor, emotionally traumatized student ignores the doubts and focuses on finishing High school. Oh yeah, you’ll need that little piece of paper before stepping foot into a college classroom.
All the while, your parents mailbox has become your mailbox as colleges and universities you never heard of send you brochures and pamphlets by the dozens shouting “Pick us! Pick us!”
But at last, the first letter comes. You’re accepted! Hooray, you’re not a total failure! Then the second letter politely but firmly rejects you. Oh, the pain! But you say to your friends and family, “It makes deciding between the colleges easier. I really didn’t like that one anyway.”
Eventually, the trail will bump you back up on the grassy valley. All your little ducks are now in a row. You must pick between the remaining colleges.
Intro the visitations. Here you puddle jump. Yes, it rained while you were in the canyon. Dressed up for the occasion with clean notebook and sharpened pencil in hand, you take the campus tour. Then you meet with the heads of the departments and the students. “Gosh,” you say, “this one seems pretty good, everyone loves it here!”
The second visitation, you leave off your high heels, or tie, and realize besides a few minor differences, a campus is a campus no matter where it is.
The third one, if you happen to be so lucky, you arrive in sneakers and a t-shirt with three travel mugs of double-shot coffee. You no longer have rose-colored glasses. All professors are biased, and you can bet your high school cap and gown that the brainwashed students will give no help.
After the puddles, the trail splits in twenty-five directions. Each has its pros and cons. Most likely, every influential adult in your life is telling you something different. “Go for a state college, its cheaper.” “Private college has the best education.” “Stay close to home, relationships are important.” “Study abroad, become your true self.”
You shut off the noise and listen for that inner voice… which has gone on strike for the year, thank you very much.
You choose. And off you step with the final stroke of your signature on the enrollment form and you pray that you have not just sold your soul to the devil.
Looking back you see the valley. You see where you were and you have absolutely no clue where you are going. But still, your youthful dreams are optimistic.
Don’t worry, you have a back up plan! You can always transfer.
Jimmy Buffett
May 6, 2010
I think you should give this, word for word, as a speech when you graduate high school. After all, you’ve captured the G-rated version of every graduating high school student’s fear and anxiety of being in the middle of choosing a path to one of many unknown future destinations. In the end, all you can do is study hard and hope it someday leads to your life’s dreams resting happily in a hammock on some exotic, palm-peppered shoreline.
Thats my dream anyway.