TO GO OR NOT TO GO- to college

I personally feel that people today put more emphasis on college and higher education than on quality time with their family and living a simple lifestyle. If your parents happen to be well-to-do, going to college may not really be a big deal. But if you are from a family of lesser means, college will certainly take it's toll on you and your household. Consider this:

• If you marry while still paying on your student loans, odds are that your marriage will be full of tension due to financial difficulties- especially if both husband and wife come into the marriage owing on college loans.
• Now add the pitter-patter of little feet to the scenario....

I read somewhere about how so many new marriages ended in divorce due to these student loans. It made me feel ill.

I think people are being pulled-in by all of the "go to college for a better life" propaganda out there (by the way, this propaganda is instigated by slave-drivers in order to determine which slaves would work harder and longer). I'm not saying that college in itself is completely wrong and if you go you are a dummy. But I think that "keeping your eye simple" and putting family first is in order.

Instead of being taught how to live with less, "go for the gusto" is the phrase of the day. For instance, read this article I found and notice how there is no mention of "family time" and the parents don't say anything like "there is nothing wrong with driving a Chevrolet instead of a BMW". There arguement for the kid to go to college is based solely on MAKE MORE MONEY. This is the kind of stuff that makes people today feel almost obligated to "Make something of themselves" (which actually means, you make your Maserati driving employer richer and your BMW driving self gets to look down on all of those Chevrolet driving simpletons out there).

Of course, if you have the means to go to college or plan to be single until your loans are paid off, more power to you. But always remember that college is not the "end word".


Written by Manny,
a self-employed publisher who did not go to college and is not rich
(but is very happy and spends most of his time with his family)