Not all roads lead to University

As you are aware, a good majority of my blog topics come from listening to the news, and this one is no different. I found this interview very interesting; it was a discussion on helping children to decide about getting an education. The speaker spoke about going to university and then at the end she said, "not all roads lead to University". 

Some people are meant to go to university, and some aren't. University minded people enjoy taking courses and studying. They create educational milestones for themselves, and they work hard to achieve them. There are others that have decided to get a one and done degree because they had a specific job in mind. Then there are people that go directly into the trades and what on earth would we do without them.   

There are also the people that struggled to graduate from High School. School was hard for them, and they were relieved to be done. We all know someone that has had very little formal education yet is an amazing problem solver and leader. Perhaps an owner of a huge successful business. They are what I refer to as, "street smart".  

I admire people that have what I call, "many letters behind their name". I appreciate how hard they must have worked to get those letters. I think it is the years of commitment that impress me the most. To devote so much time to education is something I would never do, so I feel it is admirable for those that do.  

I am also impressed by good work ethics, such as a waitress efficiently serving a full restaurant. They don't even bat an eye getting the water and food out, and then the bill is ready without missing a beat. Or how about those gas attendants who have the gas cap off your vehicle before you get your seat belt off. To jump back in my vehicle with clean windows and back-up camera is a moment of total glee for me.   

I remember being in high school in the early 70s. I felt that going to university was for the absolute brilliant and that was not me. In fact, getting an education during that time wasn't a priority for many, but I had plans for a secondary education. I have already told the story of my Dad asking me throughout my life, "what are you going to be when you grow up?". All his six sisters were educated, resulting in 4 nurses and 2 teachers. It spanned over two decades with my oldest aunt graduating in 1943 and my youngest aunt graduating from the same school of nursing in 1965. I still can't believe that happened in that family, but it did. The boys in the family didn't follow an education path. When I think of Dad and his brothers, I think of the knowledge they had about Mother Nature. They knew everything about birds, animals, weather patterns and anything else one could ever wonder about. They were fixers, and could fix anything, maybe not with the best of style, but it worked. The whole family always had a saying or solution for any problem in life.   

The thing that makes me sad is when people say, "I wanted to go to secondary school, but I couldn't afford it, or my parents couldn't afford to send me". I am not sure if there was a problem in getting a student loan or why this has happened. It is a personal decision for how much parents can or want to help their child with education. I have heard parents say, "I didn't want them to have a debt when they got out of school, so we paid their way". I have also heard, "getting a loan and paying it off is part of life". When I worked at the University, I was made aware of some hidden gems that helped pay for education. All Universities offer scholarships that have a nice dollar amount attached to them. It does take some time and effort to apply for a scholarship, but it is well worth it if you get one. Another option is to take one class at a time as long as you can afford it. It does take some time to get your education this way, but it will happen. Never give up on a dream, you are never too old to go to school. 

                                                     

If you really think about it, it seems that every day we are given a lesson. We don't often realize it is a lesson, we just think it is life. I like to think of it as the University of Life. Some will get a PhD in life; others will just attend the classes and be happy with that. Whatever your education level is in life; always be proud of it. One of my favorite sayings is, "Knowledge is Power"!

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