Why I'm Not Leaving Yet

Being a student allows you to have fun experiences you can't  otherwise have!

     Last week, I made a very important decision.  It took me months of thinking, but I've decided that I will not be graduating in April.  It also took a fair amount of convincing to get my parents on board.  They've always encouraged me to move fast, and finish my degree quickly.  And that is what I did for my first two years.  But last semester I took only three courses and a choir, because that's all I needed to take for my program.  Last semester was also my best ever.  Coincidence?  Nope!  
     Taking three courses allows me to balance my time and actually make time for other people.  Three courses allows me to make time for exercise and the other stuff I'm involved in.  Three courses allows me to actually do all of the readings and dig into my courses instead of sprinting all semester.  And most importantly, three courses makes all of the above more fun.
     Here's the thing: finding at the end of your university experience that you've sprinted through it sucks.  This period of your life can be some of the most important years you will have.  That's not meant to pressure or guilt you, but rather to get you to focus on the now rather than the "four-years-from-now-when-I-finally-become-an-adult".  The last is an illusion: four years from now you will still be you.  Perhaps the question is whether you will have sprinted through this time and ended up with a degree (which is good) or whether you will have taken your time, invested in the people around you, worked interesting student jobs that build your skill set, and generally had a blast (which is great).  Some people can take a full-course load and still do all those things.  Many can't.  
     What will be more important when you're looking for a job?  A younger person will excellent marks?  Or a slightly older person with excellent marks but who also has spent their time in university growing in many, many ways that can't be found in the classroom?  I know who I'd hire.
     My epiphany was that I don't necessarily need to speed through this time.  So I'll be around for a while longer.  


(PS: Now is the time to apply for summer student jobs if you're already in university or high school!  Check out my post here.)