My college experience is not the traditional ‘fantasy’. I spent the first two years working 30 – 40 hours per week working in an office while attending classes full-time. Even with fifteen hours of classes, I commuted, adding another five hours, plus countless hours on projects and papers. This year I’m studying abroad. My majors, my work experience, and my year abroad are geared toward my interests and enhancing my candidacy for a career in one of two industries. Endlessly waiting to ‘grow up’ is a symptom of our generation, but certainly doesn’t apply to all students.

I have not chosen a specific position I want to attain, because who knows what will even be available? Just as it is important to think about the future, we also have to remember to be flexible. Based on my majors, I have a general idea of what I want to do and where I can apply. I have plenty of friends in the same situation, likely because people in similar socio-economic classes tend to stick together, but I think people should be aware that you can find college students all along the ‘preparedness’ spectrum.

In hindsight it was the best financial decision as I have zero student loan debt, a full-time CAREER with plenty of room for advancement, a paid off car, and a nice bachelor pad where I pay rent to my parents instead of some greedy slumlord.

If anything I am excited to be done with school and ready to start making money and living life on MY terms. Most of my peers are either in dead-end jobs, dropped out of college, in college but struggling to graduate, or graduated but realizing that their bullsh*t liberal arts/communications degree can’t even get them an interview.

Ever since I graduated high school I always had it in my mind that I would study hard so i could get a good in-demand career making good money. Most of my peers were too busy trying to be Van Wilder….now they’re realizing their not as invincible as they thought….too freaking bad I say, while you were busy getting hammered every night I studied my ass off to get that professional internship you guys thought was “boring.”

Post-college depression is bs…..its a reality wake-up call to a bunch of extended adolescents that there’s more to life than financing a 4 year drinking/partying binge. Have fun paying back those loans!

I honestly don’t know how ANYONE in college can say that, because we haven’t fucking lived at all. My definition of living is traveling, meeting people that I can learn something from and find out more about myself, and generally learning about life.

All I want to do is graduate, I’m actually trying to graduate early so I can get the hell out of here and get a job and do what I really want to do. Travel. Write. DJ.

College has made me a stronger person. I will admit that. It’s hard dealing with personal shit 300 miles away from home & 5000 miles from b/f and no one to share it with, but I think if anything it’s made me more determined to say fuck it and graduate early.

@ Emily – Thanks for the comments. However, I just can’t see the low economy, high rent, and cost of living as contributing to this drifting problem. The economy is not that bad, and cheap rent and living is to be found everywhere, you just have to look! Your right though unrealistic goals definitely don’t help anything but de-motivate and discourage! Thanks again.

@ Michael – I think your on to something here. If we do control our environment, where we come from, socioeconomic etc… we can begin to narrow down where the issue is coming from. Parents? TV? Government? Professors? I do disagree that “Most early twenty somethings” are drifting out of college. I do feel alot are, but definitely not most, but maybe I am optimistic. And lastly, I definitely have thought what you were thinking, it definitely limits the competition. However, we don’t want it to so far to inhibit economic growth and prosperity! Thanks for comments!