real world examples vs. concepts

As some of you may know, I am a business student that loves photography - not the other way around.  I was raised with a business mind (thanks, Dad) and only stumbled into photography by accident.  But I'm not here to discuss either with you today.  Rather, I'm here to discuss somewhat of a revelation I had today during one of my classes - that of concepts vs. real world examples.

I have this professor, who is a great teacher, motivator, and very brilliant, that orally quizzes the whole class everyday about the topics we were supposed to have covered ourselves before the class period.  This is standard procedure and happens pretty much every time we have class.  However, today, during the discussion, I had somewhat of a revelation.  You see, this professor was only asking for concepts, but no real world examples.  I started thinking... what good is knowing a concept if you can't actually find something with which to relate it to?  Can you really have a good grasp of a concept without a real world concept?  Why should we only learn concepts in college and then execute them in the real world later?  We learn concepts in school, sometimes without even seeing the real world application of that concept.

This got me thinking even deeper on the idea of academia.  Now, I don't view academia as a bad thing - quite the contrary actually, but nevertheless I still see some flaws in the college degree of today.  Is getting a college degree hard?  I would argue no.  Does it benefit you?  Yes and no.   No you need one to succeed?  No way.  Am I going to get mine?  You betcha.  

Let me explain.

A.  Getting a College Degree is easy - I'm going to say that almost anybody with enough drive can get a college degree.  It's not that hard to go do class, do your work, etc. - just like you would do in a real job.  You do your work to the best of your abilities (I can attest that I don't always do so in school) and you will succeed.  It doesn't matter how long it takes you, as long as you finish you got your degree.  It's super easy compared to other things you'll encounter in your life.  I'm convinced (and have been told by many sources) that college isn't about the degree, it's about the experience.  Do what you will with that experience, but experience it either way.

B.  Does a College Degree Benefit You? - It does if you let it.  Plain and simple.  This is really where the real world example vs. concept face off comes into play.  You learn many things in college that you are going to forget.  The things that you remember you will always remember.  And this may not be just things you learn in class.  College is a transition period.  You learn a lot about yourself.  I've learned, for instance, that I love natural light in my room.  Why do I know this?  I have very little of it in my room right now.   Seriously though, don't view college as just an academic experience.  Think of it as a fully cultural experience.  I think this is what I'm searching for - different cultural experiences.  That's why I want to move every few years of my life - to experience different things.  I hate getting too comfortable.  This is something I've learned about myself while in college.  I knew it before, but only realized why once I came to the university.  It wasn't even something that I learned in class - it just made sense to me one day.  If you don't go to college, chances are you go straight into the work force and have to figure out things as you go.  This isn't bad, but it may take you longer to know yourself.  And knowing myself and what I'm about is something I personally have wanted to do since I found that my finger could fit in my nose.

C.  Do You Need a College Degree to Succeed? - No.  Some of the most successful people don't have college degrees.  Maybe it's the determination of succeeding without a college degree that drives them.  Maybe it's just raw passion that motivates them.  Everybody is different.  If you have the passion and drive to succeed without a college degree, then do it.  You'll make it.  Just don't sit in the middle and hop back and forth.  That's the biggest thing I've had to learn.  I've had to get over my indecision.  If you looked at me freshman year of college and now, junior year, you'd see almost two different people.  Not because I'm that much different, just because maturity has brought me into a different realm with my thinking.

D.  Am I Going to Get my Degree? - Yes.  For the longest time I didn't want to come to college.  I saw it as a waste of time, that I knew what I wanted to do (music) and had all that I needed to get me there.  Then, as high school graduation approached, I decided that probably wasn't the best idea (indecision kills!).  I'd have to get a real world job and music would probably slowly become a fun hobby that I never had time for rather than a passion.  I had a dream that I would be able to make it in the music world.  Still to this day, I wonder what would have happened if I would have followed the music path.  Would I be selling out stadiums?  Would I be living in the closest of a friends apartment?  I'll never know.  What I do know is that by coming to college, my perspectives changed and so did my priorities.  

What has become clear to me through all of this is that college teaches you the concepts.  As far as the real world examples - those are up to you to find outside of the classroom - preferably before you graduate.  But that's a whole different story.  I'm not moving home after I graduate.

***If you didn't go to college or stopped going for various reasons - I'm sorry if I have offended you.  Please realize that this post and everything on this website is from a biased source.***