Quote:
Originally Posted by danielamartindm
Roger that; I think that most of us question what we really got out of undergrad. I learned so many little useless details that are now gone, but I look upon all those as leaves on a tree; they're gone now, but the tree (hopefully) is larger for having had them.
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One thing that is different in US vs.
Europe seems to be the US requires a broader liberal arts education in the first two years of college, and colleges in
Europe tend to press directly on with the major.
There are good arguments both ways. For the European method, you can argue that if one knows what they want for a career, why waste time on other things. On the US method, you can point out that a tremendous percentage change their fields after entering college and often after leaving college so building a broader education makes sense.
I was too young in college to enjoy all the partying and debauchery apparently available.
As to the value of college for me, first it made me employable in my field. There was much taught that I had no interest in but I've found times over the years I recall a little of it or something happens and I think, "oh, I know about that."
My wife made far more use of college than I did. Part of it was age as I was 15, almost 16, when I started and she was 22 when she started. I always just assumed I'd go to college. As a kid, college wasn't in the picture for her. So she valued it all, she absorbed it all. The broad base of the first two years was very important as a teacher at the elementary level, or as a reading specialist. I was very exposed to her courses as she studied beside me and we talked about it. I was always impressed by her enthusiasm.
Where we fall short often is in not building an enthusiasm for learning, a lifelong quest for knowledge. College should simply be a start not the completion. It should prepare us for whatever we choose in life. Although it had been many years for me, not as many for her, I know it helped in taking Captain's courses. I was comfortable and experienced in learning in a classroom setting. Just like college, there were two groups in the classes. We were part of the group that wanted to learn all they could. The other group just wanted to complete the course for their license. Sadly, we ran across a couple of people who had been six pack captains for 20 and 30 years and knew so little about what we were being taught. However, you quickly realized why as they showed absolutely no interest in learning.
We also value our licenses because they represent effort and learning and even learning some things that we felt compelled to learn, not excited about. I'm still amazed I made it through even the first 5 minutes on an ER floor. I rank that right up with my first zip line (yes scared of heights). I did, however, and I'm glad to know that I forced myself to develop some knowledge and skill that might help in a
medical emergency at sea (or land). Advanced firefighting and dealing with real fires isn't what I'd call fun either. Put it this way, I have no desire to become a fireman. I hope never to use anything I learned in that course, but I'm more prepared.
To some, it's a worthless piece of paper. I never valued my college diploma, just tossed it in the corner, still in it's package, for years. After I got married, someone found it in a closet and I was very embarrassed that I had done that knowing how much a diploma was going to mean to her. To some, the licenses are worthless pieces of paper. To others they're valuable pieces of paper as they're tangible representations of the effort we've put in to be the best we can be. In some ways we value them even more than if it was our profession. We didn't have to do it. No one pushed us to do it. We'd had nice careers and were mostly retired. However, we did it. It was a step in our quest for knowledge. Our diplomas (my one and her three) are on the wall at home, but our license we carry with us.
To each of you, you're in position to say what the value of something such as a piece of paper is to you. However, you can't feel what it might mean to others and you shouldn't judge. We value our licenses, even the piece of paper. You may think we're foolish or even stupid, but nothing you say will make us value it less.
We have friends who have captained for decades and they take their licenses for granted now. We have others more recent. One just got her 500 Ton and that piece of paper meant a lot to her. We joked and asked if she wanted to tape it to her somehow. We all value different things differently, but please do see value in representation and not just financial value. To the girl who had to drop out of
school at 16, who was told she was too stupid to ever amount to anything so she better learn to use her body if she ever wanted to make a living, then a GED is very special and each certificate after even more so.
We're heavily involved with an orphanage and from what so many of those kids have come from, their high
school diploma is huge. We can't ever understand how important, how much value, it holds. College diploma even more so. They proudly show those pieces of paper, even those not necessarily using them in their careers. Their value is greatest to them, their accomplishment is for themselves. A 14 year old kid arrives reading at a 3rd grade level, he cries and we cry with him as he holds it and kisses it.
So, you may think we're silly or stupid valuing a piece of paper we don't need, don't use. Doesn't matter. We'll continue to value it. Who knows what valueless pursuit might be next for us in life.
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