I’m going into my last year of college and I kinda felt like I did college wrong. Like, my grades are good but everything else about college I failed at. Like socially and stuff, after 4 years I barely know anybody. I commuted(to avoid debt, and did so successfully) so maybe that’s part of my problem.
But I feel college was supposed to be special time in your life and to me it has been indifferent. :/Thoughts?
Im not here to argue with you mate. But I think the experience of a college campus is great, and has a long lineage for a good reason. I’m proud of my liberal arts education and the experiences I had and the lessons I learned. Sure, it’s not for everyone — never said it is — but nothings for everyone. Obviously. But I do think it’s generally a good thing to put a bunch of young people in one place more or less dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and learning for that sake. I think it’s a good thing that young people are encouraged to “find themselves” and to party and to learn how to socialize with other people like them, and most everything else that comes wrapped in the college experience. Again it’s fine that it didn’t work for you, and I’m sorry that you feel like it was a waste of your time. But as I said, it couldn’t be further from the truth for me.
And also, bud, for someone bristling at presumptions being made, you sure did jump to one based on my brief expression. No one here isn’t “engaging with some empathy” with you. But we don’t have to agree with you either. 🤷♂️
Yea, you’re making this way too personal. It’s not about you and me, it’s more abstract than that. I had a good time at University. Just didn’t impress me and I think the system deserves critique.
Also, I might not have made myself clear on the whole cultural hegemony point … I was generalising from the impression I got off the expression. It wasn’t an accusation at you personally, but more a take on how a mainstream culture might struggle to process how and why a venerated institution doesn’t work for many, with your expression being used as a sort of archetype.
All that being said, personally, I wouldn’t underestimate how much one can contribute to a mainstream cultural hegemony by just being a member who is a tad indifferent, misunderstanding, unempathetic, and even, naive or unconcerned with the bigger cultural picture.