Trapped in college
Betony Williamson
Hi Everyone.
I have been reading all of your letters for a while
now, and love your insights. I don't actually have
kids. In fact, I am in college. I was unschooled until
8th grade, when I made the choice to go to H.S. - A
choice I now regret but at the time seemed like I good
idea because I too felt like I was "behind". I was
amazed by high schoolers lack of motivation and
excitement for learning. For the first year or so I
soaked everything up. I loved it. However, the farther
I went the less I learned for the sake of learning and
the more I did it for the grade. I got so wrapped up
in getting good grades and spending time with my
friends that I lost track of my beautiful family and
my passions. At first I got straight A's because I
worked hard. Later I worked hard to get straight A's.
I stopped being able to do all the cool things I had
done when I was unschooled. My parents just sat back
and let me do what I said I wanted. I graduated at the
top of my class and got several great scholarships. I
spent my freshman year of college at a small private
school in Kansas. I was not happy. This year, I
transfered to the University of Northern CO in
Greeley. I am enjoying it, but I still feel stifled
and stuck into routines that I would rather not
follow. A couple of weeks ago I finally started
reading the teenage liberation handbook (My mum has
been leaving it around for ages). It depresses me to
think how 'normal' my life has become. I am majoring
in Art and Biology, and I love my classes, but I hate
the passivity of the public educations learning
process. I want to get out and see the world. I want
to take bike trips accross the country, I want to sew
a quilt, plant a garden, travel the globe. I feel like
I never have time to pursue my passions. Once again I
am wrapped up in getting good grades. I feel like I
have to so I can get good scholarships that will allow
me to afford to pay gallons of money to a school I am
not really sure is teaching me more than I would learn
on my own. So I think about all these things, and
wonder if I should just quit. Rise out of school. But
I don't really ever hear of college students doing it.
You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. I would love to hear what your thoughts are
about my situation. Thank you for listening.
-Betony
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop!
http://platinum.yahoo.com
I have been reading all of your letters for a while
now, and love your insights. I don't actually have
kids. In fact, I am in college. I was unschooled until
8th grade, when I made the choice to go to H.S. - A
choice I now regret but at the time seemed like I good
idea because I too felt like I was "behind". I was
amazed by high schoolers lack of motivation and
excitement for learning. For the first year or so I
soaked everything up. I loved it. However, the farther
I went the less I learned for the sake of learning and
the more I did it for the grade. I got so wrapped up
in getting good grades and spending time with my
friends that I lost track of my beautiful family and
my passions. At first I got straight A's because I
worked hard. Later I worked hard to get straight A's.
I stopped being able to do all the cool things I had
done when I was unschooled. My parents just sat back
and let me do what I said I wanted. I graduated at the
top of my class and got several great scholarships. I
spent my freshman year of college at a small private
school in Kansas. I was not happy. This year, I
transfered to the University of Northern CO in
Greeley. I am enjoying it, but I still feel stifled
and stuck into routines that I would rather not
follow. A couple of weeks ago I finally started
reading the teenage liberation handbook (My mum has
been leaving it around for ages). It depresses me to
think how 'normal' my life has become. I am majoring
in Art and Biology, and I love my classes, but I hate
the passivity of the public educations learning
process. I want to get out and see the world. I want
to take bike trips accross the country, I want to sew
a quilt, plant a garden, travel the globe. I feel like
I never have time to pursue my passions. Once again I
am wrapped up in getting good grades. I feel like I
have to so I can get good scholarships that will allow
me to afford to pay gallons of money to a school I am
not really sure is teaching me more than I would learn
on my own. So I think about all these things, and
wonder if I should just quit. Rise out of school. But
I don't really ever hear of college students doing it.
You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. I would love to hear what your thoughts are
about my situation. Thank you for listening.
-Betony
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop!
http://platinum.yahoo.com
Dawn Ackroyd
I understand what you're saying. I wasn't homeschooled, and I went to
University and did that whole routine - I learned to live the system and
did just fine doing so (well, one has to wonder what I missed out
on...but that's another thread). My husband hated High School and he
hated University. When we got married he had two years left for his
degree. It was a real struggle for him. Finally he decided to quit. We
looked at our situation. He had a business, and loved it. He is a
finance guy - does personal finance for people. The stuff he was
learning in his finance degree was corporate finance and really didn't
apply to his work. Finally, after much deliberation, he decided to quit.
Sometimes he regrets that he quit simply because he quit. He does want
to finish his degree one day - but truthfully, I don't think it will
have that much impact on his income, or anything else. It's just a
personal goal he has.
I do think University education can be valuable - but you have to be
careful how you go about it. You have to make sure that you're really
learning the things you love and doing it for you, instead of jumping
through the hoops the school system has set up. That's what I did....and
I don't know if I really obtained a 'higher education' by going to
University. I just got a piece of paper.
Dawn
-----Original Message-----
From: Betony Williamson [mailto:betonytw@...]
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 8:52 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Trapped in college
Hi Everyone.
I have been reading all of your letters for a while
now, and love your insights. I don't actually have
kids. In fact, I am in college. I was unschooled until
8th grade, when I made the choice to go to H.S. - A
choice I now regret but at the time seemed like I good
idea because I too felt like I was "behind". I was
amazed by high schoolers lack of motivation and
excitement for learning. For the first year or so I
soaked everything up. I loved it. However, the farther
I went the less I learned for the sake of learning and
the more I did it for the grade. I got so wrapped up
in getting good grades and spending time with my
friends that I lost track of my beautiful family and
my passions. At first I got straight A's because I
worked hard. Later I worked hard to get straight A's.
I stopped being able to do all the cool things I had
done when I was unschooled. My parents just sat back
and let me do what I said I wanted. I graduated at the
top of my class and got several great scholarships. I
spent my freshman year of college at a small private
school in Kansas. I was not happy. This year, I
transfered to the University of Northern CO in
Greeley. I am enjoying it, but I still feel stifled
and stuck into routines that I would rather not
follow. A couple of weeks ago I finally started
reading the teenage liberation handbook (My mum has
been leaving it around for ages). It depresses me to
think how 'normal' my life has become. I am majoring
in Art and Biology, and I love my classes, but I hate
the passivity of the public educations learning
process. I want to get out and see the world. I want
to take bike trips accross the country, I want to sew
a quilt, plant a garden, travel the globe. I feel like
I never have time to pursue my passions. Once again I
am wrapped up in getting good grades. I feel like I
have to so I can get good scholarships that will allow
me to afford to pay gallons of money to a school I am
not really sure is teaching me more than I would learn
on my own. So I think about all these things, and
wonder if I should just quit. Rise out of school. But
I don't really ever hear of college students doing it.
You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. I would love to hear what your thoughts are
about my situation. Thank you for listening.
-Betony
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop!
http://platinum.yahoo.com
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
<http://rd.yahoo.com/M=245314.3072841.4397732.2848452/D=egroupweb/S=1705
081972:HM/A=1495890/R=0/*http://www.netbizideas.com/yheb42>
<http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=245314.3072841.4397732.2848452/D=egrou
pmail/S=:HM/A=1495890/rand=989065940>
~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the subject line! ~~~~
If you have questions, concerns or problems with this list, please email
the moderator, Joyce Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list
owner, Helen Hegener (HEM-Editor@...).
To unsubscribe from this group, click on the following link or address
an email to:
[email protected]
Visit the Unschooling website: http://www.unschooling.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
University and did that whole routine - I learned to live the system and
did just fine doing so (well, one has to wonder what I missed out
on...but that's another thread). My husband hated High School and he
hated University. When we got married he had two years left for his
degree. It was a real struggle for him. Finally he decided to quit. We
looked at our situation. He had a business, and loved it. He is a
finance guy - does personal finance for people. The stuff he was
learning in his finance degree was corporate finance and really didn't
apply to his work. Finally, after much deliberation, he decided to quit.
Sometimes he regrets that he quit simply because he quit. He does want
to finish his degree one day - but truthfully, I don't think it will
have that much impact on his income, or anything else. It's just a
personal goal he has.
I do think University education can be valuable - but you have to be
careful how you go about it. You have to make sure that you're really
learning the things you love and doing it for you, instead of jumping
through the hoops the school system has set up. That's what I did....and
I don't know if I really obtained a 'higher education' by going to
University. I just got a piece of paper.
Dawn
-----Original Message-----
From: Betony Williamson [mailto:betonytw@...]
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 8:52 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Trapped in college
Hi Everyone.
I have been reading all of your letters for a while
now, and love your insights. I don't actually have
kids. In fact, I am in college. I was unschooled until
8th grade, when I made the choice to go to H.S. - A
choice I now regret but at the time seemed like I good
idea because I too felt like I was "behind". I was
amazed by high schoolers lack of motivation and
excitement for learning. For the first year or so I
soaked everything up. I loved it. However, the farther
I went the less I learned for the sake of learning and
the more I did it for the grade. I got so wrapped up
in getting good grades and spending time with my
friends that I lost track of my beautiful family and
my passions. At first I got straight A's because I
worked hard. Later I worked hard to get straight A's.
I stopped being able to do all the cool things I had
done when I was unschooled. My parents just sat back
and let me do what I said I wanted. I graduated at the
top of my class and got several great scholarships. I
spent my freshman year of college at a small private
school in Kansas. I was not happy. This year, I
transfered to the University of Northern CO in
Greeley. I am enjoying it, but I still feel stifled
and stuck into routines that I would rather not
follow. A couple of weeks ago I finally started
reading the teenage liberation handbook (My mum has
been leaving it around for ages). It depresses me to
think how 'normal' my life has become. I am majoring
in Art and Biology, and I love my classes, but I hate
the passivity of the public educations learning
process. I want to get out and see the world. I want
to take bike trips accross the country, I want to sew
a quilt, plant a garden, travel the globe. I feel like
I never have time to pursue my passions. Once again I
am wrapped up in getting good grades. I feel like I
have to so I can get good scholarships that will allow
me to afford to pay gallons of money to a school I am
not really sure is teaching me more than I would learn
on my own. So I think about all these things, and
wonder if I should just quit. Rise out of school. But
I don't really ever hear of college students doing it.
You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. I would love to hear what your thoughts are
about my situation. Thank you for listening.
-Betony
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop!
http://platinum.yahoo.com
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
<http://rd.yahoo.com/M=245314.3072841.4397732.2848452/D=egroupweb/S=1705
081972:HM/A=1495890/R=0/*http://www.netbizideas.com/yheb42>
<http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=245314.3072841.4397732.2848452/D=egrou
pmail/S=:HM/A=1495890/rand=989065940>
~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the subject line! ~~~~
If you have questions, concerns or problems with this list, please email
the moderator, Joyce Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list
owner, Helen Hegener (HEM-Editor@...).
To unsubscribe from this group, click on the following link or address
an email to:
[email protected]
Visit the Unschooling website: http://www.unschooling.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/21/03 8:54:28 AM, betonytw@... writes:
<< You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. >>
People say it all the time.
It depends what you want to do.
Too many people just want to go to college to get a degree because they've
been tld it's necessary. Necessary for what?
Too often a college degree is necessary to make parents happy. And then the
new graduate has to pay off loans, often with money made at a job for which
that degree was not necessary.
I wanted to teach, so I needed that degree. Most of the people I went to
school with had no idea what they wanted. Some went into law or medicine, so
what they learned as undergrads helped them, but it didn't matter which
degree they had to get into the advanced program, they just needed any old
degree and good entry exams.
If you're trapped it's because of your belief in the necessity and perhaps
because of your fear of a time line which I don't think you will find carved
into the rocks in Colorado or tattooed onto your body anywhere. It's in
your mind. It's a learned idea you're defending.
Sandra
<< You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. >>
People say it all the time.
It depends what you want to do.
Too many people just want to go to college to get a degree because they've
been tld it's necessary. Necessary for what?
Too often a college degree is necessary to make parents happy. And then the
new graduate has to pay off loans, often with money made at a job for which
that degree was not necessary.
I wanted to teach, so I needed that degree. Most of the people I went to
school with had no idea what they wanted. Some went into law or medicine, so
what they learned as undergrads helped them, but it didn't matter which
degree they had to get into the advanced program, they just needed any old
degree and good entry exams.
If you're trapped it's because of your belief in the necessity and perhaps
because of your fear of a time line which I don't think you will find carved
into the rocks in Colorado or tattooed onto your body anywhere. It's in
your mind. It's a learned idea you're defending.
Sandra
Shyrley
Betony Williamson wrote:
Snipped
n. So I think about all these things, and
I spent the year back-packing round the world and returned too university feeling much better. Some of it still grated and looking back, having a degree has been irrelevant to my life.
A year out would allow you figure out what you want to do. Take that bike tour. Try the world of jobs. Maybe you'll go back, maybe you wont.
Good luck
Shyrley
Snipped
n. So I think about all these things, and
> wonder if I should just quit. Rise out of school. ButMaybe you could take a year off Bethany. I did. Admittedly that was in England when it was all free.
> I don't really ever hear of college students doing it.
> You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
> but you cannot say the same thing about a college
> degree. I would love to hear what your thoughts are
> about my situation. Thank you for listening.
> -Betony
>
I spent the year back-packing round the world and returned too university feeling much better. Some of it still grated and looking back, having a degree has been irrelevant to my life.
A year out would allow you figure out what you want to do. Take that bike tour. Try the world of jobs. Maybe you'll go back, maybe you wont.
Good luck
Shyrley
christy_imnotred
Betony,
Let me tell you about my sister, it may help. My sister is 25 now,
she went to public school all her life, got really good grades, the
whole thing. She got into a good college with scholarships. She
spent 2 and a half years at college and hated it. She didn't know
what she wanted to do so she felt like she was wasting her time and
money. She was disgusted by the apathy of the other students and she
finally left. Of course the family thought she was crazy, but she
knew it was what she needed to do. She moved to New Mexico from
Virginia and hooked up with a temp agency. She did a variety of jobs
and made enough money to support herself while she tried to figure
out what she wanted. One of the temp jobs led her to the right path
and she went back to school 3 years after she dropped out. She is
now in acupuncture school and loving it. She says dropping out of
school was the best thing she ever did. She would probably have a
degree in business now if she had stayed and she would be miserable.
If you would like to email her, contact me offlist and I will give
you her email address. She would be glad to help someone follow
their heart.
There are thousands of options in this world, you don't have to stay
in one that isn't working for you. College will always be there, you
can go back whenever you want. Use this time to get to know yourself
and your dreams. If you do go back to college one day it will mean
so much more to you. I hope this helped. Good luck with whatever
you decide.
Christy
Let me tell you about my sister, it may help. My sister is 25 now,
she went to public school all her life, got really good grades, the
whole thing. She got into a good college with scholarships. She
spent 2 and a half years at college and hated it. She didn't know
what she wanted to do so she felt like she was wasting her time and
money. She was disgusted by the apathy of the other students and she
finally left. Of course the family thought she was crazy, but she
knew it was what she needed to do. She moved to New Mexico from
Virginia and hooked up with a temp agency. She did a variety of jobs
and made enough money to support herself while she tried to figure
out what she wanted. One of the temp jobs led her to the right path
and she went back to school 3 years after she dropped out. She is
now in acupuncture school and loving it. She says dropping out of
school was the best thing she ever did. She would probably have a
degree in business now if she had stayed and she would be miserable.
If you would like to email her, contact me offlist and I will give
you her email address. She would be glad to help someone follow
their heart.
There are thousands of options in this world, you don't have to stay
in one that isn't working for you. College will always be there, you
can go back whenever you want. Use this time to get to know yourself
and your dreams. If you do go back to college one day it will mean
so much more to you. I hope this helped. Good luck with whatever
you decide.
Christy
Mary
From: SandraDodd@...
In a message dated 3/21/03 8:54:28 AM, betonytw@... writes:
<< You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. >>
<<People say it all the time.
It depends what you want to do.
Too many people just want to go to college to get a degree because they've
been tld it's necessary. Necessary for what?
Too often a college degree is necessary to make parents happy. And then the
new graduate has to pay off loans, often with money made at a job for which
that degree was not necessary.>>
On Wednesday I took Sierra to get her haircut. The guy that was doing it was talking to her and naturally ended up asking her what grade she was in. She told him she didn't do school and we started to talk about homeschooling. He was saying he has heard a lot of people lately homeschooling. We talked about diploma's and GED's and college. He was telling me that most of his friends that went to college are making less money now than he is cutting hair!
Mary B
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
In a message dated 3/21/03 8:54:28 AM, betonytw@... writes:
<< You can argue that a H.S. diploma is not necessary,
but you cannot say the same thing about a college
degree. >>
<<People say it all the time.
It depends what you want to do.
Too many people just want to go to college to get a degree because they've
been tld it's necessary. Necessary for what?
Too often a college degree is necessary to make parents happy. And then the
new graduate has to pay off loans, often with money made at a job for which
that degree was not necessary.>>
On Wednesday I took Sierra to get her haircut. The guy that was doing it was talking to her and naturally ended up asking her what grade she was in. She told him she didn't do school and we started to talk about homeschooling. He was saying he has heard a lot of people lately homeschooling. We talked about diploma's and GED's and college. He was telling me that most of his friends that went to college are making less money now than he is cutting hair!
Mary B
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]