Pursuing a College Education is an Education in Itself
Attending college can be a daunting task. We may see the tuition bill and obstacles ahead of us and think, is it really worth the expense? It is a known fact that getting a college education comes at a high cost. But some pay an even higher price than others.
In the New York Daily News article, Good for U.! Meet pair of Brooklynites who go extra mile to get college degree, describes the challenges of some young people in getting their education.
Elizabeth Lazarowitz writes, “Money troubles and family obligations have turned the quest for a higher degree into a decade-long haul for Alfatah Kader, 29, who awakens before dawn each day, straps on a backpack and headlamp, and jogs 15 miles from his Midwood home to classes at Baruch College, to save on subway fare.” He like many others, sacrifice more than money for the value of education.
Education is the ladder to success, happiness, and understanding. The hope of having a better-paying job to support our family and future urges us to reach higher despite our difficult circumstances. As we climb this ladder to success, we become stronger.
We not only learn from the educational institution, but from our struggles to gain an education. This learning enlivens our EQ or emotional intelligence. We develop: empathy, creativity, flexibility, resilience, self-confidence, and the ability to understand emotion.
Martin Luther King Jr. said it best, “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not the accumulated knowledge of the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.”
The struggles we face are different for each individual. We juggle school, work, and family challenges, all while trying to get one-step higher to our goals. But as we struggle we can move forward, if we are determined to succeed. We can be like Alfatah Kadar and rise above our circumstances. Pursuing a college education is an education in itself. The return is worth the cost.