School…has never been for me. I don’t ever remember liking school. I’m not sure I have always hated it the way I do now but I’m pretty sure I NEVER liked it. As the spring semester of 2009 began I decided I was NOT going to go back. Mid way through fall ’08 I was studding for a Biology exam and seriously wished I was dead instead of studding. I don’t and won’t live my life that way. I dropped the class and finished out the semester.
I grew up in Westlake, and for those of you who know the community and school, going to college isn’t even a question. Westlake has one of the lowest dropout rates and pretty sure one of the highest high school to college ratios in the country. (Don’t quote me on this but I’m pretty sure, its got to be up there) I never thought about not going to college. Once Jr. year started it was nothing but picking out colleges and studding for the SAT. I was excited about going to college; my dad had agreed to let me go to a school in California, my dream since we had moved from Cali. I was excited to finally move out, be on my own, live in a dorm, meet new friends and move on with my life. School in Cali didn’t work out so I came back to the prestigious University of Texas, hook’em (I still got Texas pride!). While in Cali I decided being a lawyer wasn’t for me and that I wanted to work in the fashion industry. I love fashion, always have and as far as I can see always will. UT had an apparel program so that’s what I was going to major in. Textiles and Apparel with an emphasis in Retail Merchandise and a minor in Business Foundations. Now here starts my rant on the Textiles program and what drove my hatred of school. For reasons beyond my knowledge the Textiles program is in the school of Natural Science at UT. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal if the degree requirements weren’t so absurd. We are required to take Chem 1 and 2 and a chem lab, Bio 1 and 2, and calculus all FOR MAJORS. For those of you that don’t know what that means; the classes are freaking hard! We don’t get to take the general chem and bio classes we are taking the ones pre med and bio chemist take!
Typical first day of class conversation:
Student A: Hey, so what are you studding to be?
Student B: I’m studding to be a doctor; I’m thinking a heart surgeon. How about you?
Student A: I wanna work in retail. Hopefully have my own line someday. Be a buyer or just have my own little boutique.
Student B: Oh…why are you taking this class?
Student A: It’s required. Would you like to study together sometime?
Student B: Uhh…sure…here give me your number, and I’ll call you…
Student B inter-monolog: (…no way in heck am I studding with that girl!)
Typical first conversation between student and prof after first test:
Student: Prof. B, I tried really really hard and I don’t know why I did so bad. I studied everyday and I still failed.
Prof: maybe you should think about switching majors. Being a doctor isn’t for everyone. What do you want to do with your life.
Student: I wanna sell clothes.
Prof: oh, why are you taking this class?
Student: I have too.
Prof: oh, guess you just got to try a little harder then.
Don’t get me wrong, I get that you can’t just breeze though college. It takes effort and endurance. But people that want to work in fashion and people that want to heal others don’t use the same part of their brain. I can promise you there are geniuses out there that no matter how hard they tried couldn’t make it in the fashion world. And that’s where I am. No matter how hard or long I study I am NEVER going to get it. I spent close to $3000 on tutoring for calculus. Did I learn anything, no, did I pass, yes…but I’m pretty sure my teacher just felt bad. My science teachers weren’t as nice.
My textiles classes weren’t any better. Sure they weren’t as hard, they were a joke! Just to give you an idea, in one class we watched a “documentary” on retail everyday. We had 2 projects that took one class day each and was performed in groups. We took one test because the university required that she administer a test, it was done in groups, open book, open note, the notes were ones that she gave us and what was on the test was circled in the notes! To give you an idea of the professor’s mentality: twice I didn’t turn in projects that were worth at least 25% of my grade and I still received an A in the classes.
After going to college for 3 ½ years I learned one thing: college is not for me, right now. I was learning nothing at UT. I was simply going thought the motions of a student. I think one day I might go back but my mind set must first change. Right now I see a degree as an $80,000 piece of paper that has no meaning to me. I’ve got a job that I excel in. I have full benefits. But most importantly I’m happy and enjoying life.
xxLL
