Education != College

When I say I "hate" or "dislike" college, many immediately assume I'm just, "one of those kids" that doesn't see the value of what he has. I admit I have been extremely fortunate being brought up the way I have been. But that is no reason for me to not say what I believe.

I think knowledge and wisdom is extremely important. Learning is just wonderful. It is a passage of knowledge from generation to generation. But it doesn't change the fact that I dislike college.

To be honest I could come up with many reasons why college isn't the ONLY way for people to be successful (success is a very opinionated word. To me it is leading a life achieving something of worthwhile importance to myself, making a difference, while having fun and exploring/learning life's great aspects.) You can teach yourself.

Guess what. Many colleges are putting many of their class lectures/materials online for free. Can't people learn through textbooks, class notes, and the wide array of resources available online? I am not arguing for all majors. I am just talking about non-technical major, for me this is management and marketing. To be truthful, I see business as more of a real-life learning thing. Even Grad schools and MBA programs seem to agree, as most of them require real job experience.

I am mainly in college right now to learn. I don't care a bit about my grade in so-and-so class, or how I do in exams. And to be truthful its hard - to stop caring. When I say I don't care about the grade, I don't mean I don't care about college. I just think that right now, I would rather really LEARN and UNDERSTAND something, than cram or "study" right before an exam to get an A.

In the end, the question is. Are you willing to pay $200 to get an A in a class- exempting you from all homework, studying and attendance?

Dumb stuff. Pay some, pay some more. Keep paying.

Note: This was hastily and badly written, so expect a revision...sometime soon. It's too late now. G'nite.

The One Campaign: Campaign to make Poverty History

This is an issue that is much more than just an issue or problem. Yesterday I came across, http://one.org/ and it has really motivated me to go act and help out in some way.

While of course, just talking about it in a blog (that nobody reads) is not helping. But I hope that someone, sometime reads this, and realizes the importance of this issue, like I did yesterday. And maybe even encourages them to act. This blog is thus here, on a serious topic, to spread the word about poverty and AIDS in Africa, and the rest of the world.

This is not a political issue. It is doing what is right. And devoting some time, energy, money, etc. to help bring about a solution to a very powerful, devastating, and extremely serious problem.

Links:

1. Issues
2. Aids and Poverty
   
3. ONE campaign
4. Go sign the declaration
5. A very inspiring and moving speech by Bono (youtube video): Click here

"It's not about charity, it's about justice."

- Bono

By the time you have finished reading this blog entry, 20-30 people will have died from extreme poverty. (Every 3 seconds, someone dies from extreme poverty). This was an extremely unimaginable and horrifying rate to me. And it still touches me emotionally. I immediately emailed two of my state representatives. And I already got a very quick response from Senator Tom Carper saying he has supported many policies against HIV/AIDS and will continue to do so.
I am not saying do a certain thing; but instead I think its important to help out in any way possible. Contact a state rep, donate money or time, volunteer for such organizations, fund raise money (through wristbands?), buy ONE apparel...show your support. Act.

Please, do what is just.