By Jerome Bragg II
Since I’ve returned to school my entire perspective on it has changed. All throughout high school and my first two years of college I saw it as nothing but a hassle. I didn’t want to get up early, I didn’t want to do the homework, I didn’t want to do anything. Whenever I would start working on something school related, all I could think about is doing anything else. I remember reciting the same things in my head over and over:
“When am I ever going to use this?”
“I’ll just do this assignment in the morning.”
“I could be playing Call of Duty right now.”
I ended up barely graduating high school with a 1.8 GPA, and after two equally unsuccessful semesters in community college, I ended up dropping out. After working a series of crappy jobs that led nowhere, I was forced to face the grim reality that there was no escaping school.
I was a little nervous about returning to school; in the past I had very little success and I wasn’t sure why it would be any better this time around. I was working part time now and had even less time to dedicate to school than before.
As soon as the semester started things just felt different. All of those past feelings of anxiety and stress that would previously accompany school had vanished. Instead, they were replaced with a feeling of relief. I felt thankful that all I had to do that day was read a few chapters of a textbook, or write a few hundred words for an essay. This was when my perspective began to shift, rather than looking at everything as a hassle I viewed it as a blessing. Having the opportunity to get a degree and open more doors for myself wasn’t something to take for granted.
My situation isn’t a unique one. Plenty of students have returned to school and found a new level of appreciation for it. Unfortunately, many returning or first time students struggle to find the time and money to make school work. Lucky for us, San Bernardino Valley College offers plenty of services and programs that can help students from various backgrounds.
EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services) provides a number of resources for students that qualify. Personal counseling, discounted textbooks, laptops, and even free food on campus is available for those who sign up. D.E.E.P (Dedicated Engagement to Empower Part-Timers) is a program aimed to help part time, returning or first year students who are often working while going to school. D.E.E.P offers many of the same services EOPS offers, helping relieve the financial stress of college. The Valley 360 Resource Center has fresh food and produce, along with other hygiene essentials for Valley students. CalFresh is another option for those of us who are looking for some assistance with the ever increasing price of groceries. CalFresh is a state program offered to CA residents allowing them to receive up to $291 in groceries every month.
Many of the benefits of a degree are obvious - better paying job opportunities, meeting new people, and so on - but it’s easy to forget about all of the other positives that come along with school.
It feels good to always be accomplishing something, and even if it's just a small assignment. Seeing the little confetti pop up on Canvas is always a satisfying feeling. The best feeling is the sense of pride that comes from creating a better future for yourself. While I did enjoy many of my previous jobs, I would always think about how they weren’t sustainable. Jobs hardly promote people, even when they do, the increase in pay is insignificant, not to mention that far too often the people who get promoted aren’t qualified.
I'm sure 99% of the people reading this are already enrolled in college but you probably know a friend who isn’t. While college isn’t for everyone and there are other options, I think too many people make the mistake of thinking school isn’t for them when in reality it can be. We underestimate just how little we know as 18 year olds fresh out of high school, and we don’t even realize how much we grow and change in just a few years. I’ve been able to convince a close friend of mine to return to school for the first time in years and seeing him go through the same transformation I did has been an equally rewarding experience.
Comments