College Expectations

I was at a network gathering the other day and overheard a conversation.  Someone had asked a young lady what her major was and that launched her into an epic tale of why—after five years—she wasn’t close to graduating. 

She started her story with, “Well, I started out studying to be an architect, but I really didn’t want to be an architect.  I was really interested in interior design, but the college didn’t have a program in interior design, so I decided to become a teacher.  When I got into that field, I had to decide what type of teacher—elementary or middle-school...”

She shrugged a bit and continued, “I couldn’t decide, so I changed my major to business and, then, accounting, but then decided that I rather go into behavior sciences and study physical therapy to help people — but the college didn’t have the program I wanted.” 

She shrugged again, “With all the time and money I spent taking all these courses, you would think I could graduate, but the college won’t let me.  I don’t care anymore; I just want to get out!”

A friend of hers suggested that she should just major in History.  She only needs 15 credits to get a History degree and then she could graduate.

She shook her head at that idea.  “No, I don’t like to read, write, or do research, so I don’t want to study History.”    

She admitted that the college did, finally, offer a field in the Behavior Science area that she thought could be interesting, but, by this time, her GPA was too low to enter that program.

She concluded her story by blaming the college for her inability to graduate, and the group sympathized with her situation.

I do hope that she finds what she’s searching for… but I don’t think what she's searching for is in the college curriculum and course catalog. 

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