Why the Blog?

It has been a while since I have sat down to write a blog, and I want to start this one by explaining in greater detail the point of my writing, and the goal at the end of them all. It is going to be a winding road of a story, but in the end I hope it will come together and make some sense.

After arriving at college my freshman year, I quickly became skeptical of the whole “higher education” system. I was learning next to nothing of importance in each classroom I walked into. It seemed to me that the whole system was preparing me to be nothing more than a trustworthy employee to some thankless company within a few years. The system was not promoting creativity, nor critical thinking. In fact, you could argue that the higher education system is actually built upon the destruction of individual thinking. You could argue that universities are built to do nothing more than pump out countless debt-stricken 20-somethings that are so strapped with student loans that they take the first soul-sucking, decent paying job they can find post-graduation.

And no, I don’t mean to sound so negative about the whole thing. I am excited for my senior year, and I will be sad to leave this town and all the good times it has given me when this whole thing comes to an end. BUT, I also believe that higher education is for the most part, a trap. We all show up with big ideas, bright eyes, and bushy tails at 18-19 years-old, only to often leave with a sense of uncertainty, and even a bit of "doom and gloom" about our future. Why is this? Shouldn’t a thing as expensive as a college degree set you up for success, and give you a sense of direction as you enter the adult world? If not, then what are we doing sending a vast majority of our kids here, and sentencing them to years of financial distress?

To streamline my thoughts, as I know they are rambling a bit, I’ll make a more concise point here…. The most important piece to take away from my small, yet mighty rant is this: The combination of massive debt, paired with several years of an education that suppresses creativity leaves many post-grads believing that they have very few options. And nothing feels scarier to me than being out of time and options at 22 years-old. The question though, is how do we keep our options open?

Here is where things get tricky. It is easier said than done to keep yourself from falling into the trap of chasing that first paycheck post-graduation. And I could be totally wrong, but I believe that creativity is the key that can unlock freedom from this system. I know I sound like a total fuckin’ hippie when I say all this junk, and I promise mom (if you are even reading this one) that I am still doing my homework and taking my tests. But, the blogs, podcasts, pictures and videos taking up a great deal of my time are all an attempt to stay creative. Together, they are a living resume for a job that I would love to have.

We tell our kids their whole lives “you can be anything, as long as you put your mind to it.” Is that maybe a stretch? Certainly. But, can most people get much closer to their dreams than they ever do? Absolutely.

For some reason, we quit telling our kids “you can be/do anything you want” right around 15 years-old, and we don’t make a whisper about that bs come college. My question is why not? Those are the ages where it is actually true. Those are the ages to take chances and make strides toward dreams. Because telling an 8 year-old he can play in the Super Bowl is kinda insane, yet we do it. So why are we so reluctant to tell a 20 year-old that the sky could actually be the limit if he really puts his head down and uses his 20s for all they are worth? Why won't we tell that guy his dreams are worth chasing? That he's the only thing in his own way? That his 20s are the perfect time to be a bit reckless and take some chances you can't come 40?

Your life doesn’t have to end after graduation. These don’t have to be the last good times you ever have. You don’t have to be staring at the clock on the wall each Thursday waiting for 5 PM so you can race from your tiresome office to the local watering hole for happy hour with the fellas. Don’t let this system tell you so.

So to conclude, these blogs, along with the other content that accompanies them, are an attempt to stay creative, and push back against the idea that I will have to fall in line and become another casualty of the system post-grad. They’re a resume for the job I want to have, because dreams aren’t supposed to die in your dorm room. For most of us, they haven’t even been given a chance to start yet.