By Jessica Cormican
You see it in nearly every coming-of-age movie: high school seniors picking out their top college choices, applying, and anxiously waiting to start the next chapter of their lives. But what happens when that dream gets postponed, or never materializes to begin with?
In my opinion? A deeper appreciation of — and more profound — college experience.
When I was a high school senior, I felt out of place for my lack of a desire to go to college. I went through the motions of applying to different schools, but I wondered if everyone was faking their excitement like I was. Once graduation rolled around, I felt more and more anxiety about what lay ahead.
September rolled around, and I was slated to attend a prestigious private liberal arts college, with a nearly full-ride scholarship. But following a panic attack and a whole day spent locked in my bathroom out of fear of seeing the disappointment on my parents’ faces, I rejected the school’s offer. I blacked out the following year.
Five years passed, spent taking care of my mother and my nephews, and having a few jobs, but nothing I was ever passionate about. I accepted that I would never feel excited about my future and that I was destined for mediocre jobs because of my lack of education.
After what seemed to be a throwaway night of complaining about my current job to my brother, my future took a turn for the better. My brother, with whom I live, showed me Rochester Community and Technical College’s website, a school that was a mere 30-minute drive from our house. He pulled up the program page for their Mass Communications Transfer Pathway program. It was a major I had never heard of, and I incorrectly assumed it was the same as a communications degree. But my brother showed me the description and it seemed to be everything I had ever been interested in as a potential career.
I applied that night.
That spring, my mental health took a turn for the worse. I ended up temporarily staying with my parents to recover. I realized I was facing yet another dead end, one that I had encountered several times before. This time, though, I decided to do something radically different and accept my spot at RCTC.
I started classes less than a week after I made my decision, and I can definitely say it’s the best decision I have ever made.
As much as I wish I could go back and give 18-year-old me the peace and happiness that I have now, I am also glad that I waited to go to school. I am now 25, and I think being an older student has given me a different perspective. I am in classes with a lot of younger people, some still in high school, and I see how differently we handle school. Since I have life experience as an adult under my belt, I have a better idea of what I want out of my life. I’ve had several jobs, so I already know what I don’t want to do. I even worked in a field I thought I wanted to have a career in, only to realize that it wasn’t for me. I am so thankful for that perspective.
I also believe that as an older student, I value my effort and my professors’ efforts more than the average 18-year-old. For some students that young, higher education seems to be just a continuation of high school. Since I’ve had so much time since my last educational experience, I believe I appreciate it more than I would have at 18.
There is also a hefty financial benefit to waiting to go to school; according to the studentaid.gov website, once you turn 24, your FAFSA begins to take your financial information, rather than your parents’. For most, that means a lot more financial aid is rewarded to you.
At 25, I know quite a bit more than I did at 18. Even though the six years I took off after high school were filled with many hardships, that experience has made me all the more grateful for the college experience I am having now.
My advice to graduating seniors is this: take some time off and figure out what you want to do. You will most likely never have this chance again. Figure out what kind of person you are and what person you want to be. After you’ve done that, find a school that matches your values and your passions. You will never regret it.
Opinions expressed within these pages of The Echo do not necessarily reflect the views of Rochester Community and Technical College’s administration, faculty, staff or student body.