Your Morning Joe : Opinion

The Pros and Cons of Taking a Semester Off from College

Opinion 11:47:00 AM

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College is stressful. I’ve seen students cry in class in front of people they have never even spoken to before. I’ve seen breakdowns on campus and I’m sure you have too. Maybe you were even one of these poor souls. Rough classes and a lot of credits mixed with numerous work hours is a recipe for hair pulling anxiety. Whatever reason you choose to blame, anxiety is the most popular disorder that plagues college campuses with depression following suite. These two facts make it easy for one to believe maybe taking off for a semester isn’t such a bad idea?

So, let us tick some boxes under the pro column shall we.

Mental Decompression

Taking off a semester is a good way to decompress and relax. You feel, even though you haven’t graduated yet, it’s kind of relieving to not have to worry about midterms finals papers homework and making schedules or having bad professors. The list is extensive and with each one you breathe a sigh of relief. This can be the first step to coming back more focused and motivated to succeed upon your return.

A woman in a gray hoodie and white sunglasses relaxes on green grass

Mental clarity can do wonders for the mind. Source: pexels.com

A Chance to Explore Opportunities

If you’re going to take just one semester off than you have to be careful about opportunities that you seek out and potentially accept. But doing so intelligently can be beneficial to you in a myriad of ways. Seeking out contract offers or internships that expire after a matter of months is an excellent way of making connections, garnering experience and oh yeah, making some money.

Gain Perspective

You’d be surprised by the number of students I have spoken to that are second guessing their major or career aspirations. Take this semester off to take a look at where you are, what you want to do and how you can strategically move forward. Often times you’ll find that changing majors or setting a new career goal may not set you back the time and money you once thought it would. Some down time will allow you to reflect and if your using this time to get into the field, even only briefly, you can use your experience to gauge future interest or paths.

Now, as with all things in life if we talk about the good, we should probably talk about the bad.

Setbacks

Lets start by addressing the obvious. If you take a semester off then you are setting back your entire plan. Graduate by this date, get a job by this date, by a house by this date. The plan usually goes a little something like that. Then again life usually doesn’t go according to our plans. You shouldn’t be afraid to deviate from the plan; just be aware of how much time you are actually losing and adapt to conjure up a new plan.

Breaking Rhythm

If you leave school for an extended amount of time you are running the risk of breaking rhythm. What this means is you have now broken that continuity of having a schedule, keeping a schedule and keeping up with deadlines. Now that you have taken time off you could potentially fall out of that sense of time management you culminated over college semesters. This could be detrimental upon returning to school. Breaking rhythm will have the reverse effect of this whole plan. You may return to school sloppy and tardy. Being mindful of breaking rhythm will help you ensure it does not occur.

A stressed looking man in a white shirt looks upset at his silver apple macbook laptop

We've all been there. Source: pexels.com

Short Term Turns to Long Term

So far it seems like the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to considering taking off for a college semester. The fact that doing so comes with a risk of never returning may just swing the pendulum in the opposite direction however. Whenever students take a semester off from college they risk never returning to finish their degree for a number of reasons. Take into consideration the fact that getting a better paying job now that your schedule has opened up may be a short-term gain but a long-term mistake. Getting too comfortable in an entry-level role could improve your current situation and standing but in the grand scheme of things it could leave you reaching shorter than the self-investment of a college degree.

Taking a semester off from college isn’t the huge deal everyone seems to be making it out to be. Be mindful of the pitfalls and career traps that could ensue and you should be just fine in taking some time for yourself. Whether you do so or not in your particular scenario is a call you’ll ultimately have to make by weighing up your own situation. Make sure if you do decide to go on a little vacation from college that you use your time wisely and return more focused and more motivated. After all, that is the purpose of this whole idea.

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The Modern Day College Curriculum is BS

Opinion 7:39:00 PM

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College is a business. Always was and it always will be. College, whether it’s free or paid, will always come with its fair share of gripes. Professors that couldn’t care less if you pass or fail. Professors you may not even be able to understand. Bad class times that don’t workout with your schedule. All of this, while annoying, can be worked around. But nothing is worse than the harsh reality, the fact that the modern-day college curriculum is flat out bullshit.

The face you make when you see your course outline. Source: pexels.com

Why?

It’s the question we all ask when we first look at our college curriculum. A quick look at my curriculum I saw some classes that raised a few eyebrows. Art? Foreign Language? Another art class?! It is remarkable that an Information Technology major must take such classes while missing out on others such as Computer Forensics and Network Security. You know, classes that may be of actual interest and use to the student. It’s outrageous that we must waste our time, with a class that we do not want to take and will simply waltz through for the sake of our GPA.

As a community college student, we were even required to take Physical Education classes. Reminiscent of high school we mustered through two credits of Phys Ed, the majority of which were only ½ a credit each. Count it, four gym classes for an Information Technology major. As a college professional, nothing frustrated me more than fitting a gym class or an art history class into my busy schedule. It was borderline insulting to me and is currently causing the hairpulling and skin curdling screams of college professionals across the country.

The problem runs deep.

These downright ridiculous necessities of what is contained in a degree is a major catalyst to why college students everywhere are no longer taking the idea of school seriously. A college degree is an achievement and should be treated as such. On the contrary, I’ve spoken to many a student who just see it as a piece of paper necessary for better employment opportunities. I myself have spoken adamantly about how wrong it is to exploit college students everywhere by making them take BS classes. It is nothing more than a way of keeping students there longer, forcing them into another semester of meal plans, parking permits, tuition, books, college apparel and many many many more bills.

The negative consequences of such nationwide decisions snowballs even further as students feel they learn more from internships, jobs and other hands on opportunities more so than their college classes. This should come as no shock as students who should be learning about other branches of their field are instead literally bowling for credits or learning who painted the Mona Lisa and when. Students are learning less relevant material, engaging less and interest has tanked.

So what can be done about this?

I don’t see them ever reducing the number of credits that a degree entails. That just won’t happen. Although this would allow students to only take the classes associated with their desired field of expertise. This would cost colleges everywhere millions of dollars and as previously stated, college is a business. However, simply replacing those classes with related areas of study would increase, student interest and engagement and just make more sense. It creates students who are better educated in their respective fields. This easy no brainer of a solution just uses one’s common sense and that is exactly why it will never happen. The college curriculum is bullshit, and it seems like it always will be.

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No Matter Who Wins the Election Free College Will Never Be Free

Opinion 12:53:00 PM

Its election day, and as a college student during the 2016 election cycle I’ve heard the words “free college” tossed around more than the words “selfie” and “lit”. Unfortunately for me, those two words and that one phrase make me cringe equally. Free college is an idea that’s been brought about by Bernie Sanders and continued by Hillary Clinton among her claiming the democratic nominee. No matter your political preference, republican democrat or independent, Donald Trump, Clinton or Sanders, the idea of free college is a mirage. Without getting to deep into numbers and statistics lets go over why the idea of free college is nothing more than a farce.

The democrat and republican mascots election 2016

No matter the outcome of the election, free college will not exist. Source via DonkeyHotey

The idea of free college in a dream world is this. A student would get to pick his or her college, no matter what school, get accepted, and get a bill in the mail for $0.00. Maybe you don’t believe that. You could believe that the policy of free college is not a ticket to Hoftra University but a free ride to your local Suny or Cuny school. Well, neither of those is quite right. The idea that comes to mind when people say free college is certainly possible, but the terminology is all wrong. Free college isn’t free.

Someone is bound to pay

Some people seem to have this notion that free college just means free for everyone, all the time, forever. Free for you may not necessarily mean free for others. Professors don’t, and won’t work for free. Electricity for the building is not free, nor is the equipment and overall general upkeep of the campus. This money must come from somewhere it cannot just appear from thin air. Given this, the money could be taxed from the wealthy sure. I’ve certainly heard this idea tossed around a lot. But that wouldn’t be free college than would it. It would be free college for some, and an additional expense for others. That isn’t free, whether you agree with that method or not that is not the definition of free.

Another theory I’ve heard kicked about is the idea of an additional tax on everyone coinciding with your income. Much like how taxes currently operate. In this scenario than college is also not free. Someone is paying and even more so in this case the student is still paying for college, only now they are paying indirectly through taxes instead of tuition. Sure, this may make college cheaper for students but it will also make college an expense for those who do not currently attend. With this method, you will be paying for college until the day you die instead of until the day you pay off your loan.(which in this day and age may also be until you die).

Bernie Sanders website even says the following:

College for All: Sen. Sanders has proposed making public colleges and universities tuition-free and substantially reducing student debt, in a plan that would cost about $75 billion a year. Source: berniesanders.com

Notice those last few words, “would cost about $75 billion a year”. How can something that is free cost money? The idea of free college needs a new name; it will never be “free” college. Someone is bound to pay.

You’re already getting a break on college

If you pay around $15,000 a semester to go to college this does need not apply to you. But for the rest of who attend Suny and Cuny schools that rely on the state and not just tuition, you may not know you’re already receiving a break on college tuition. The community college that I attended for two years had a tuition for in county students of $2,400 a semester. However, what most students do not know is that the actual total cost per student per semester is closer to $10,000. So why doesn’t the student pay that roughly $7,000 gap. That is because the state covers that additional cost simply because it is a state school. That may not be free college but it is a pretty good deal in its own right.

You may agree with the politics of “free” college. Wanting someone else to pay for your college or purposing an overall tax to allow students to not pay tuition is an idea in its own. Whether that idea is right or wrong is your prerogative. This article is not to steer your political views in one way or another. Nor do I claim to know which is the best route to take in this political issue. One thing is certain though, and that is “free college” needs a new name, because no matter what route we take free college will never be free.

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The Possibilities of Augmented Reality in Education

Opinion 5:26:00 PM

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VR is the new craze sweeping the tech world. In 2017 augmented reality may just be ready to join the ranks of trending and innovative technology to venture into households business and education. Augmented reality differs from VR as it blends the virtual world with the physical world around you. Microsoft recently showed this off with its HoloLens. It is a headset that allows you to interact with virtual objects that take place in your physical setting. Imagine, playing Minecraft on your coffee table with the city you built spanning throughout the landscape of your living room.

The roll-out for AR will be slow and tedious just as it was with VR. First implementations of AR will be limited and most likely not very impressive. The uses for such a platform have a grand cathedral like ceiling however. And although we may not see the more outrageous uses of AR in 2017, the market for it in education is certainly there.

We have already begun to see virtual reality shape classrooms in different ways. Google made its mark on this avenue by creating Google Cardboard. A piece of cardboard with some lenses, it can be ordered for around $10. Younger students have been using Google Cardboard in order to take virtual field trips to museums around the world from the comfort and convenience of their classroom. Creating these experiences gets students excited to learn about such topics. Young minds are captivated by the experience, creating an enthusiasm that powerpoint presentations and YouTube clips simply cannot muster. This simple use of VR in education could be amplified exponentially through AR.

This potential may work its way into higher education as well. Imagine AR being used to dissect frogs and pigs. A once controversial topic could be eliminated simply by using AR. Placing a hologram of a pig on a real biology lab table and having the students dissect it using virtual tools would be groundbreaking. Medical students could very well perform augmented reality operations and procedures which could potentially save lives from malpractice and general inexperience. Granted this is all speculation the possibilities are very real and coming sooner rather than later.

Barriers do exist for AR as they did for and still do for VR. AR will face the negative connotations that come with its appearance. Google Glass, which many consider the first attempt at augmented reality, was met with tremendous setbacks in this regard. People wearing them were often ridiculed for invading others privacy and downright mocked for there somewhat silly appearance. AR implementation in any facet will face these same obstacles if they are to be used in any environments.

It isn’t all such a dark road for AR though. The most common placement of augmented reality will be in the form of mobile applications. For instance, picture students holding up an application to certain bones in a biology lab as the app highlights and labels specific areas of that bone to give the student information. This is a form of AR that will likely make its way into the educational world in the coming year. An easily implemented and highly customizable experience that will generate a new-found interest from students and teachers alike.

Augmented reality on an Ipad shows a skull for educational use

Look for mobile augmented reality to make its way into schools in 2017. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

One rumor that has the AR hype train running is that the upcoming iPhone 8 will feature augmented reality capabilities. Tim Cook has expressed his fondness for AR over VR in previous statements. Apple does have a tendency to keep its future prospects hidden away until they are nearing launch. Seeing how Samsung Sony HTC and others have already begun using their mobile devices to create VR experiences I don’t see Apple launching any AR experiences via hardware or software. Apple has a track record for letting other companies test the waters before they swoop in to make it mainstream. The same will hold true for AR I believe. Apple getting into the AR game would certainly propel its implementation into all fields, including education, but AR fields shouldn't hold their breath on this one.

Whereas VR has always had a hindrance on it due to it being tied down by additional and bulky hardware, AR has the potential to alleviate the users virtual experience. That being exactly what technology should due in such a case. Alleviate the user to make an easier, more enjoyable and productive experience. AR has the potential to do just that, whether it does or not, that remains to be seen. Look for AR to make its debut into more and more educational institutions and programs throughout 2017.

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College Students Love the Macbook Pro but Apple Loves Dongles

Opinion 11:34:00 AM

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Being just about the only tech student in a crossover class between business majors and tech majors, I find myself to be in the minority when it comes to this new line of Macbook Pros. As the conversation of the Apple event began to stir I was quickly jettisoned into a debate on why these Macbook Pros do not live up to the name “Pro”. Apple fans never want to hear anything negative, so in a classroom of silver finished Macbook Airs and glossy piano black iphone 7s I knew I just woke up a sleeping giant. But why? Why were these diehards so hellbent with backing their Apple overlords? Everyone I spoke to loved it. They claimed it was perfect for things such as media consumption and standard school productivity tasks which more or less just utilize office. I was confused. Isn’t that what the Macbook Air was for? Even the lighter and thinner Macbook? These Macbook Pros aren’t for them; I struggle to think if there for anybody.

The Best College Laptop is no longer from Cupertino.

Apples macbook pro in the new space grey color

Form over Function. Source via www.apple.com

What Happened to the Apple We Use to Love?

Apple use to be a company that catered to the creative professional. The photographers, the music makers, the artist. These days, Apple is in the business of dongles and contradiction. Arrogance and gimmicky features are beginning to define the Tech Titan.

When Apple introduced the new line of Macbook Pros. I found them to be quite nice looking, much like everything Apple creates, but also quite dull. Sure, the screen is nicer, allowing more colors and the brightness has increased. Sure, the new touch bar is cool and may actually come to be slightly useful and not at all redundant. In the end though, I can’t help but think this is just another update from Cupertino that takes one step forward and two steps backward.

Apple's presentation was quite the spectacle. It always is. No one here is doubting Apples ability to showcase and market its products. It’s a skill they have mastered brilliantly and it’s the number one reason for their diehard following. The more I ponder it, the more it bothers me that Apple isn’t in the business of making its products easier to use. I tried to reason with my peers. Telling them how much of a contradiction it is to make USB-C the only port on the new Macbook Pros and then brag about thinness and portability as your now forced to haul even more dongles. How much of a contradiction it was to vow never to use touch on laptops due its awkwardness only to unveil a tiny touch strip and praise its versatility.

Thinner Does Not Mean More Portable

17% thinner they say, but if you want to plug into a monitor you’ll be forced to buy and carry another dongle. 17% thinner they say, but you’ll need yet another dongle to access that SD card. Just about anything creative professionals due on Macbook Pros is now hindered by Apples obsession with dongles and counter-intuitive design choices. Now, I know I know. USB-C is the future and we are moving towards one standalone port for data transfer and power. This was the case my fellow students made, one of them with an iPhone7 in hand. Picture Perfect. “Tell me my friend”, I said to him in a sadistic tone, “Why does your phone have a proprietary lightning connector.”. Moving the technology forward to better ports is a good thing, but you need to include other ports during the transition years to make the move easier on your fan base. Something Apple refuses to do. They aren’t in the business of making things more user friendly.

A screenshot of a tweet from Drew Breunig showing Apples Dongles

You get a dongle. You get a dongle. Everyone gets a dongle. Source via @dbreunig Twitter.

It’s just another example of Apples contradiction and arrogance to make these kinds of choices. Forcing their users into changing their needs to meet their devices limitations and lack of flexibility. Don’t forget, this is the company that had the audacity to tell its user base it took “courage” to eliminate the headphone jack from its latest smartphone. Courage. No, it took dongles. Dongles are now the name of the game for Apple. They love them, and you’ll buy them.

To be fair, these Macbook Pros have some nice features. They’ll be hugely popular and successful even with the most minor of refreshes. Apple has been making these kinds of choices for years now. Although iPhone 7 sales have dropped, their user base does not seem to mind these types of decisions all too much. Even if they have scared away the Pros from the Macbook Pro.

It’s sad to see a company now restricting its most prominent users. Users who swore by their machines. If you wanted to create art, you needed a Macbook Pro. That was the consensus but Apple just took the Pro out of Macbook Pro. Hopefully Apple rights these wrongs with a mid-cycle refresh. Given the Tech Titans latest trends that doesn’t look likely.

Tread lightly Cupertino.

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A College Students Plea to Elon Musk and Tesla

Opinion 2:06:00 PM

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Tesla has been making headlines for just about all of 2016. They recently unveiled their newest fully electronic battery powered car, the Tesla Model 3. This was said to be the car to bring Tesla to the masses. The car to introduce the masses to battery powered vehicles. Think iPhone for the smartphone world. The problem with Mr. Elon Musks making these claims is that since the unveiling of this car the starting price is said to be $35,000. Not exactly budget, but not something that is out of the reach of most people. Except if this is supposed to be the car that brings battery powered vehicles to the masses then why are Tesla and all other motor companies who dabble in battery powered cars avoiding a huge market. The American college student.

I previously wrote an article (found here) that detailed good entry level jobs for technology majored college students. A perfect market for an entry level automotive piece of tech. Hopefully for your sake, you're on the upper end of those pay grades listed. Your going to need to be in order to think about getting yourself a shiny new Tesla when they start shipping in the next year.

The Tesla Model S is as much an integral part in the world of technology as it is in the motor world. Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson.

According to the NCES(National Center for EducationsStatistics), as of fall 2016, over 20 million people were to attend American colleges. This being an increase of over 5 million in the last 16 years. This number seems to only be going up. The majority of college students in suburbs and rural areas need cars. It’s a necessity for most, and a necessity for a nice car for some. Car companies seem to be ignoring this huge market share.

Tesla has made its base version of the model 3, rumored to be stripped of most of the features you buy a Tesla for, $35k. That means that by the time your loading this thing up it could top near $60,000. This starting price seems to be right on par with its rivals, the Chevy Volt after all starts at around $32,000. The BMW i3 even starts over 40k. Sure you could go the hybrid route and get an Altima or Prius on the cheap but the intrigue and personality of those cars is just non-existent. Beyond the obvious reasons Tesla separated itself from the competition it is the mere fact that the car has spirit. It just seemed to come alive, getting behind the wheel is an experience. When was the last time anybody got excited to go out and drive a Chevy Volt?

A red tesla model s charges at a tesla charging station

You won't see many of these on college campuses. Photo Credit: Wikipedia.org

There is a fan base out there crying for a sporty electronic car. What Mustang did for sports cars, we need a Tesla to do for battery powered cars. As a student of the technology field, I have a passion for all things tech. I also happen to be a casual car guy, so when you mix the two together I should get excited to rush out and buy one. But what are my options? A 66k base starting Tesla model S or some boring do nothing electronic/hybrid which is more of just a car without an engine than a piece of masterfully crafted technology.

I was hyped for the Tesla Model 3. I thought it could very well be my next car. But base cars are usually very dull. When you buy a Tesla, you want the bells and whistles, and this car will most likely lose its affordability once you add them.

Granted Tesla is a luxury brand and has an image to uphold. The same has Mercedes and BMW came out with “budget” options that exceed well into the 30 and 40-thousand-dollar price range. Maybe this is the reason for the Model 3s pricing. Or maybe the technology just simply isn’t there yet.

Whatever the case may be, the average college student will not be pulling up to those designated charging stations with his fancy new Model 3. Suffice it so say this part of the market will have to stick to its boring hybrids or good ole fashion v8’s.

Maybe next time Elon Musk.

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The Millennial Minority

Opinion 1:50:00 PM

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Narcissistic, spoiled and entitled. We were born with a negative connotation to our name simply because of when we were born. The many words that can be used to describe the generation I so happened to be born into appear to be mostly negative. The dreaded, undesired and feared millennials. It’s a term for those who grew up in the late 80s and 90s and have reached the years of a teenager or young adult in the early 2000s. Those who grew up as the technology boom was booming and the swell of information was about to overtake the world. Social media grew, more and more people died each year from the dangerous art of selfie taking. The disdain towards our utter existence shreds at the fabric of the very soul of the working generation. How could anyone feel anything other than an overwhelming sense of loathing for us?

millennials spelled out in scramble writing

Millennials. not even valuable in scrabble. Photo credit speedpropertybuyers.co.uk/

I’d be lying to you if I sat here writing this saying I never felt like I had a chip on my soldier. Something to prove to the older generations that I wasn’t your stereotypical millennial. I refused to be stereotyped to just another entitled brat who spends his day snapchatting tweeting and texting while driving. I’ve spent my short time as an adult in this working world proving to those around me, those above me, and those who doubted me that I am not associated with the connotations that come with the term “millennial”.

Many millennials are just like me in that regard. We are out to prove people who look at us with such disgust that we can be just as hardworking, grateful and humble as the working-class generation. Not every little thing we do must be touted and self-praised. We do not have to show off to a bunch of strangers our most minor of accomplishments. We may be in the minority when it comes to how we conduct and portray ourselves, but we do exist.

It’s difficult not to get narrowed into certain categories as a millennial. You are expected to be either an internet billionaire by the ripe age of 22 or just another grown adult living in your parent’s basement working one day a week. There is no in between, if your successful you lucked out and its society’s low standards that made your lack of talent rich and famous. If you happen to be a loser well, you’re just a typical millennial. Consider this a PSA to the older generations out there. The working class has not died. We may have evolved from small business owners and manual labor to Youtubers, bloggers and technology but that should not, and will not diminish our good fortune and hard work.

I myself started as an unpaid intern that was written off as just a favor for my brother. Three years later I am proud to say I am an accomplished Digital Forensics Investigator for my company and have since thrown out that notion of me being simply a favor in the eyes of everyone who doubted me when I first walked into that office.

So maybe your guilty of writing off the millennials as the worst generation. Maybe you’ve lost hope in humanity due to negative light we are conceived in or maybe you know someone who does.We are the working class millennials, and we do exist.

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A Note of Reassurance to Anxiety Filled College Students

Opinion 11:19:00 AM

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You are a nurse in her scrubs on campus. A man in a suit during your 8am class while others model sweatpants and hoodies. No, you don’t have a weird morning fashion sense, you are a college professional. Many do it, some don’t need to, and some just plain can’t. I’m talking of course about being a full time professional while simultaneously being a full-time college student. Look, there is nothing wrong with living the budget life while in college. Nor is there anything wrong with focusing on school while your parents lend you a hand in the financial realm. But this article isn’t for you, this article is for the college professional.

Being a college professional isn’t easy to put it mildly. There have been many a time while I sit at my desk, rum and coke in one hand, and the thought of dropping out of college in my head. The schedule is demanding, the lack of sleep is excruciating and the extraordinary caffeine you ingest will leave you acting like Gary Busey on cocaine. Social life? Forget it. Close friends? Not going to happen buddy. Relationship? You better find yourself someone who likes long distance relationships because that’s the way it’s going to feel like once your schedule shifts into full gear.

Allow me if I may, to quickly sum up for you a typical day in my life. I wake up, brew my morning joe (see what I did there) head off to class, head straight to work, drive on over to the gym and by the time I get home I have just enough time to do some homework before my head hits the pillow harder than a Mike Tyson right hook.

So why would anyone want to be a college professional if their life didn’t demand it? Why would anyone choose this? The sacrifices are tough and the mindset to keep is even tougher, but what this type of lifestyle will reward you with may just be worth it all. You may give up close friends, miss out on that grand ole college experience and you’ll probably teeter on the border of insanity so much you’ll be considering building your own wall. But fear not my fellow hustlers, there is a light at the end of this anxiety tunnel.

In return for your sacrifices, you’ll be rewarded with a lot. Materialistic things with the money you’ll make, to the more abstract like self-belief and confidence. You may scoff at the idea of abstract benefits but you’ll need that self-belief in order to get through this road so forbidden Robert Frost wrote a poem about it. After all this is an investment in your future. It will all be for naught if you do not succeed, so you have no choice but to succeed.

road sign reading success and doubt in a big city

You don't have to wait until after college to start down the road to success photo credit geralt via www.pixabay.com

Stay focused, stay driven and envision your future. This could have been a drawn-out tips article but anyone who offers tips more than that simple aforementioned sentence is really just rambling. There is no “how to” on staying sane during this time of your life. There is no magic formula. Each scenario is different and each one of you has a unique horse in this race. So really this article is just to reassure you that you are not alone. You are still doing well despite your latest anxiety attack. With that self-confidence that you will succeed, you will conquer your hectic schedule and reap all the rewards.

The lone solace I can offer you I guess would be this. If you are hustling for your career and also balancing a demanding modern day college schedule, things will only get easier. After graduation, you’ll remove the doughnut off your schedule and feel lighter, faster and less stressed (thumbs up if you get the baseball reference). Always remember my friends, if you want more than the average person, you have to be willing to do more than the average person.

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The Plight of the Modern Day College Student

Opinion 7:40:00 PM

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What comes to mind when you think of your average college struggle? A minimum wage job? Merciless hours at the local bar working a double? Busy schedules that form the epicenter of the #teamnosleep squad? If you said any of those things, well you’d be right, but I’m here to tell you there is a new college struggle. One that has to do with that all too glorious 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper that hangs in your office in a $7 gloss black frame you bought from staples while shopping for sewing equipment for your grandma.

a busy student studying hard at the desk

There are struggles beyond just what people think of when they hear the term "college struggle"

So what is this struggle you might ask? What could be worse than my depleted social media hours due to my term paper on Louie VI? The struggle I speak of can be summed up in one word. Frustration. Frustration over time, frustration over opportunity and frustration over lack of results. With the millennial age the college student, has access to a literal world of information at one simple “slide to unlock” screen. In the modern era of smartphones smart fridges smart TVs and smart *insert whatever you want here* we have gained access to information much earlier and much more frequent than past generations. Things that were only possible to learn in a classroom are now consumed daily simultaneously with our morning cup of coffee. Now as this does give us a concrete advantage over those that walked the path before us, it does however create a whole new set of problems.

With the massive uptick of information intake, society’s expectations have gone up. Self-expectation has gone up. With such extensive knowledge in your respected field and some job experience under your belt, you fight hard for an opportunity with your head held high. Phone interview after phone interview. You quickly throw on shorts along with a jacket and tie for you Skype interview in order to put on a mirage of professionalism. Only you are denied, time and time again by those three words. Three words that mean nothing, but mean everything to you. Three words that are the bane of your mediocrity. “Bachelor’s degree required”. It is the verbal punch in the gut after reading the description to a perfect job opportunity. An opportunity you know you would thrive at if given the chance. But alas “Bachelor’s degree required”. You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience. This conundrum has the collective blood of modern day college students and recent grads boiling nationwide.

If you can get past this metaphorically stonewall made of literal paper, then congratulations you only have one more major hurdle to climb. Your schedule. If you’re like me and have not yet graduated but have conjured a respectable resume, then I’m sorry to tell you your journey will be no less perilous. If employers demanding a piece of meaningless paper is the Emperor Plapatine of this evil empire they call the job market, than the very college you attend is Darth Vader. Yes, the one aspect that was going to portal you into the realm of a professional career is actually shackling your ankles. After all, you are a prisoner to its campus. Those three words suddenly replaced by just one. Availability. You’d love to work 40+ hours learning new aspects of the field, honing your craft and yes, making money. Your employer isn’t likely to care that Programming 205 is only available at 2:15 in the afternoon Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sorry, next! The 52-year-old with the BS in bs is hired and your SOL. If you got lost in a sea of acronyms right there let me put onto you this statement. This quagmire raises a problem because not only are you losing out on what could have been a grand opportunity, but your would be employer may miss out on getting the harder worker and better man for the job.

What employers don’t seem to realize is you may take a risk hiring a college student or grad. You may end up hiring an immature narcissistic millennial with a sense of entitlement. Actually, if there is anything to say about statistics than you probably will. However, you may just hire a young gun with the intangible traits of ambition and drive. You can always teach a fast learning intelligent yet inexperienced employee, but you cannot teach a hunger for success.

So if you’re an employer reading this and you have a young man or woman who has just aced an interview but may be lacking slightly in some areas such as experience or availability. Given you are able to do so, give them a chance. Take a risk and you just may be rewarded with someone who appreciates the faith you’ve entrusted in them. You may just be rewarded with someone who works twice as hard as the experienced yet unmotivated older gent you settled for.

I should also take this time to give a quick PSA to my fellow millennials. If you are lucky enough to have such an opportunity thrown your way, don’t throw it away. We millennials are already given a bad rep for being a bunch of entitled spoiled brats. We are seen has a lazy bunch that do nothing but take selfies and Instagram everything to a bunch of strangers with the mindset that they’ve never seen a pumpkin space latte from Starbucks before. Be mindful of the risk that was just taken on you and show you can run with the best of them. Do so and it just may start a trend in the job market that may one day change the title of this article to “The Plight of Past College Students”.

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