Connection!

When we leave high school and go off to college, there are endless possibilities within our reach, we simply spend our time deciding which opportunities we will reach for and which ones we will leave for others, or a later time in life. There are all those clubs and organizations to join, countless concerts, speakers and other special events to attend, and many new friendships to be made. One thing that I think gets overlooked a lot, and unfortunately so, is what great people we have teaching us at our technical colleges throughout Wisconsin. They bring way more to the table than some text out of a book and assignments to turn in at the end of the week. The knowledge and experience they have, not only in their fields but also in life, is something I would encourage everyone to invest in and be a part of.

My program advisor is an awesome lady. She has taught a class of mine and is always willing to sit down and help me out with class work, whether for school in general, or whatever else I am having issues with at the time. In addition, she is fun and interesting to talk to. She talks from experience and makes things relevant to today’s world and the society we live in. I’ve had plenty of great conversations about marketing techniques and social media avenues with her, but I’ve also enjoyed talk about how the Badgers did over the past weekend, great places to visit, awesome restaurants here in Madison. The list goes on.

Another professor in my program department, who I’ve never had for a class, has also made my time at Madison College a great one. He heads the Marketing Club and is also a part of some of the productions out of the Bartell Theater up on the square. Some friends and I were able to catch one of the shows last year and then chat with some of the cast after. It was a great show and fun to be able to relate to a teacher on another level.

One of the great things about a technical college education is the experience you get while obtaining the knowledge. You are respected as a person and treated as an equal. The reason I have had the pleasure of discussing things from sports to theater to politics with my instructors, is because they don’t view me as a student that is naive and unworthy, but as an equal with a unique background and a distinctive story. You will feel important and you will feel recognized when you attend a technical college. And it will be one of the key differences in becoming a success.

Because of the interactions and conversations I’ve had with my professors, I have been able to gain critical knowledge in unique aspects of my field I may have otherwise skimmed over. I feel more prepared to enter the workforce because I feel like I’ve gained inside perspective on what to actually expect once I’m in the field. On top of all of that, I’ve been afforded opportunities I wouldn’t have been aware of if it hadn’t been for my teachers thinking of me when they discovered them. I am so grateful for that connection and for the investment I’ve made in my future through my relationships with my professors and the staff at Madison College. Use your college experience to not only learn, but to network and build relationships as well. It’s worth the effort; connect with your college and all the people in it.

To Do: Enjoy the Journey

I’ve spent a lot of time planning in my life, and to keep myself organized and on track, I love to make lists. Not only does it keep you organized and remind you of what you have to get done, but there is something wonderful about being able to cross a task off of your list when it is finished. That in itself is a reward for getting the job done.

I used to look at my education this way; as a line on my to-do list. It was something that I needed to get done in order to achieve a certain goal and get the career I had always wanted, which would lead to the happy life I had always wanted. I worked hard throughout middle school and high school to attain good grades. I joined clubs, I participated in knowledge and math competitions, I continued playing sports year round and I made it a point to do whatever I could to make sure I got into the right college, so that when I checked that off the list (getting into college) I could feel good about crossing it off.

Next I started my college journey, and it proved to be a little trickier than I had planned on. I wasn’t entirely sure what career I wanted. I had always thought once I was in college I would continue down a prearranged path and cross it off my list when I got to the end of those four glorious years. That, however, wasn’t the case. After taking a course in calculus I realized that anything that required that kind of math was definitely not the career for me. I tried nursing, and although I love helping people, chemistry and biology – science in general – proved to me that that was not my calling. I bounced back and forth from career idea to career idea, academic focus to academic focus, until I finally realized that I should be taking classes that interested me and engaged me, and mold my degree to those classes.

I didn’t need to have my career completely figured out to be successful in college and with my education. By enjoying college and the classes I was taking, I could actually learn and comprehend better. I realized that I would be directed towards a career through the different things I let myself enjoy. I also realized that I needed to apply this new idea to the other aspects of my life; that I should enjoy what I was doing and it would grow and develop into a career or whatever else I could love.

Too often we rush to get something done and don’t take time to enjoy the process of getting there, yet we also look back and reminisce about how great the experience was and we wish we could go back and relive those feelings. What I’ve come to find through my journey with education is that we should enjoy it. If you aren’t enjoying the journey and you don’t appreciate and love the learning that is going on, don’t feel bad about it; change it. Whether that means starting down a new educational path with new knowledge and new hopes for what you will do with it, or if it means putting down the books for awhile and picking it back up at a later date. There are countless avenues you can take to achieve higher learning and higher education, and while they are different, each is viable as long as it suits your needs at the time.

Now that I am coming to the completion of this part of my journey with education and graduating in the fall, I find myself looking back at the last four years and being happy that I was able to experience all that I have and to have realized that it is not the end. I hope to go into a fulltime career after this semester, but am also excited in planning further education and obtaining my bachelors down the road. I’ve learned to not rush it though; I’ve learned to enjoy what’s in front of me and not take it for granted. And while I still swear by my lists, I’ve learned that not everything belongs on one, because some things aren’t meant to be finished, but lived out over time.

So, while you think of what your next move is, make sure you take time to slow down and “smell the roses.” Whether you take advantage of a technical college education and hone your skills in a specific area or decide to try out a four year school, or even if you decide that right now getting out into the workforce is your best bet, know that you will always have the option to learn more. And if you aren’t sure what your next move is, check out all the resources at witechcolleges.org that are designed to help you with getting education and finding a career so you can be happy and enjoy what you have. J

Not Now. Always! Reasons Technical Colleges Make Sense

In a recent blog post by Jeffery King, an education blogger and social media expert for OPPapers.com, Mr. King explained the “5 Reasons Community Colleges Make Sense Right Now”. Those five reasons included:

1. An easy transition from high school
2. Great savings
3. Advantages to living at home
4. More time to think about your career path
5. Boost your confidence

Now, I would agree with Mr. King on most of these points, but I would add that they aren’t reasons that community colleges make sense now; they are reasons that community colleges make sense. Period.

First off, let’s take a look at idea number one, that technical colleges are an easy transition from high school into college. I would completely agree. And for some, that is a turn off. Students look at technical colleges as too much like high school and have a fantasized view that if they go to a four-year university it will be just as easy as high school, but teeming with fraternity/sorority parties, sports events, a whole new pool of girls and guys to choose from, and of course, freedom. That is not the case. College is hard at all levels and the education you get at a technical college is right on par with that you would receive at a four-year university. What eases the transition is the ongoing support from your instructors, the one-on-one interaction with professors and students alike, and the sense of belonging and community that you find there. There will still be new faces to meet, events to attend and parties to enjoy, you will simply find yourself more supported at a technical college.

Secondly, let’s talk money. Everyone is concerned with money and savings; now more than ever. Technical colleges can grant you the same education and provide the general courses you need at a fraction of the cost of a four-year university; public or private. If you are set on a four-year degree, you can take your first two years of general education credits at a tech college and save thousands and thousands of dollars on tuition. Then, if you like, you can transfer your credits to a four-year university and you are right on track for your four-year degree. If you are looking for specialized training and hands-on education, you can complete a degree program at a technical college, be well versed in your area of expertise, and have gained all this knowledge and experience at an excellent price. Anyway you crunch the numbers; technical colleges are the smart choice.

Next, we look at the advantages of living at home. This one is hard for students to stomach, because in the end, we are 17, 18 and 19 year old kids chomping at the bit to leave home and experience freedom from the rule of our parents. I went to a four-year university right out of school, and I lived close enough that I could have lived at home instead of the dorms. I was, however, unrelenting to the fact that the outrageous price for the closet I would share with another person I didn’t know was worth the experience. Looking back, I am a little bummed I spent so much money on “dorm life” and to top it off, I didn’t have the happy-go-lucky relationship with my roommate you most often see in movies and on TV. While it may not seem as fun or exciting to live at home, it will save you a ton of money and you will still have fun. Besides, you meet most of your friends through the organizations you get involved with and the events that you attend. In the end, if you are still set on living the dorm life, some technical colleges have residence halls so that students attending a tech college can experience that aspect of college life while still saving money and getting an outstanding education.

Number four – there’s more time to think about your career path – seems a little confusing to me. No matter what school you choose to go to after high school, whether it be a four-year college or a technical college, you have time to think about your career path. The idea isn’t so much about time as it is about what you do with your time. There are a ton of options at technical colleges to help you find your passion, options to foster that passion, and even options to help you start your career. Where you might get lost in the shuffle at a four-year university, with its 300+ class sizes and one advisor for every 600 students, at the technical colleges, you’ll be taken care of and given whatever assistance you need to succeed; which will help you make smart, important decisions regarding your career path.

Finally, we have the confidence aspect. This concept is one that I agree with, but must disagree with Mr. King’s explanation about it. Students do tend to do well at community colleges, but that has nothing to do with the level of work they are given. Students do better at technical colleges because they have better access to their professors, to classmates, to groups and to resources. You will learn how to socialize and build relationships with fellow students and staff and it will help you navigate your options and opportunities. You will be responsible to put in the work and effort, but you will have the support you need along the way to make it possible.

There are many, many more reasons that technical colleges are a great choice for students to consider as they leave high school and move on to the next phase of their educational careers. From the scheduling of courses to how those courses are administered (classroom, online, hybrid, fast track, etc.), to instructors that are field experts and veterans, there are many benefits to a technical education. As you think about your next move, be sure to check out all the benefits and options a tech school near you has to offer. You can check out all the different schools and their offerings through our website at www.witechcolleges.org.

 

 

It Gets Better – #HairMusicVideo

It Gets Better – #HairMusicVideo.

It Gets Better – #HairMusicVideo

We have all been through high school. Some of us went to small schools where the entire graduating class consisted of 25 students. Some of us attended institutions where our class size alone was in the hundreds if not thousands. We played sports, joined the chess team, wrote for the school newspaper. We ate lunch in the hallways with our friends, hung out after school and did our best to make it through the awful gym classes that no one, not even the athletes, enjoyed.

Some of us could stroll down the hallways with our head held high while others smiled back and commented on the great save we made at last Friday’s game. Some of us walked through the school simply doing what we had to do. Others found ourselves at schools where navigating the hallway was an art.

We kept our head down and tried not to make eye contact. We ate lunch alone or with a select few people that also faced the same journey everyday walking down those corridors. We didn’t want to draw attention to ourselves because we didn’t want to deal with the onslaught of hurtful slangs, blatant mockery and physical violence. We wanted nothing more than to just be done. Done with high school. Done with people. Done with everything.

Whether you have been the victim of bullying or you have been the bully, or you fall somewhere in between, it is time for everyone to wake up and realize that bullying, for any reason, is unacceptable. It doesn’t make you look strong or cool or better; it makes you look weak, so incredibly weak, that you feel the need to tear others down to feel better about yourself. It is a tough thing to hurt inside and feel like you have no one to talk to, but that doesn’t make it ok to bully.

When a friend of mine, Colton Boettcher, heard Lady Gaga’s song “Hair” he knew he wanted to do something with it for the It Gets Better project; to tell youth everywhere, especially LGBT teens, that it does get better. Boettcher teamed up with fellow UW-Madison student Bryce Mahlstedt and set to work on the masterpiece. Mahlstedt developed the choreography while Boettcher began work on the creative concepts for the video. Through months of hard work and dedication, CeeJBee Productions and the crew produced #HairMusicVideo.

Released Thursday night, #HairMusicVideo caught the attention of thousands of fans and of the Mother Monster herself, Lady Gaga, saying “This is so AMAZING, #HairMusicVideo you guys did such an amazing job for #ItGetsBetter. The Choreo! I died!” Since then, the video has gone viral and reached over 400,000 views on YouTube as well as gaining monumental media attention.

When asked about high school, being gay and the bullying Boettcher endured, he says, “Being gay was something that was normal to me. Because I’m a normal person and being gay is normal.” (Wisconsin State Journal) That statement, something so simple and true, is still so hard for some people to comprehend and accept.

John Soper, a friend of Boettcher and member of the dance crew, spoke to me about the video and the personal experiences he faced in high school that contributed to his role in the production. Coming out between his freshman and sophomore year of high school in a small community, not everyone was accepting of his sexuality; while there were many gay people, being out wasn’t the norm. Back then, because of the lack of support, Soper experienced times of very low self-esteem and depression. This video and its message “was my way of giving back,” says Soper.  Adding, [if you are someone struggling with your sexuality and/or are being bullied], “reach out. There is always someone there that is willing to listen, even if it is a professional hotline. Having people around you who will accept you for who you are is important and having a support group is really great for the coming out process.”

With this video, Boettcher and his team have helped reach thousands of people with that message; that it will get better and it’s ok – and normal – to be gay.

We all come from different backgrounds, different heritages, different cultures and different lifestyles. We value different things and have different beliefs. What Colton, the crew and myself want you to know is that if you are being bullied and you are struggling with life and what to make of it, know that it does get better! In a few short years you will have the ability to leave your high school and free yourself from the bitter people that taunted you. You will be able to move out of your town and choose a place to live that feels safe. And if the issue lies at home with your family, know that there are people out there ready, waiting and wanting to be the family you never had.

I can’t even explain to you how much better my life has gotten since leaving high school, coming out and finding those people to call my family. Those people that don’t put me down or make me feel bad for being gay, but love me for who I am and praise me for all the great accomplishments I have achieved and the things I am doing with my life. I know it may be hard to believe and understand right now; I have been in the place where it seemed easier to just give up and let go and stop living. But if I could ask you to do one thing – for me, for those couple of true friends you do have, for yourself – it would be to hold on, to fight and to hold off until you have the chance to see how much better it will get! Please!

You are not alone in this or in life. There are people all over willing to help you. People you haven’t even met yet are rooting for you and praying you will give yourself the chance to be loved and live better.

You can contact the It Gets Better Project, the Trevor Project or even myself if you have questions, need to talk or are just curious about what is out there for you. Please keep living and please know you are loved. It Gets Better!

It Gets Better Project
Website: www.itgetsbetter.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/itgetsbetterproject

Trevor Project
Website: www.thetrevorproject.org/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheTrevorProject
Trevor Lifeline: 866.488.7386

Personal Contact
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sam.eifert
Phone: 608.279.8012

And The Semester Begins In a Furry of Snow

Welcome back everyone!!

It is the spring semester of 2012 and the future looks promising. We have the ability as students to really take hold of our education and harness it to help us go after our dreams and aspirations.

This year holds a lot of promise for excitement. You know, the whole “the worlds going to end” trend that we’re seeing. They even made a Hollywood movie about it. It has to be real. So what is the point of school, of work even? Why go to all the trouble, this time next year there won’t be any time; there won’t be anything. If that little phenomenon isn’t your cup of tea, you at least have to be aware of the despairing economy and rocky political climate. If Armageddon doesn’t happen, we’re sure to ruin the world on our own, right? So why? Why work hard with your education for something that doesn’t seem to show a lot of promise?

You. Yourself. Your legacy.

That is why you need to care, why you need to work hard, and why you need a good education. Because whether the world ends or we ruin it, whether the economy gets better this year or in 2015, or whether the government crumbles or reorganizes and starts actually moving forward, we are still here. We are present in the moment and while we can’t necessarily stop the end times, flip a switch and improve the economy or run a campaign and change the government, we can work on and improve ourselves.

We need to have knowledge. As Oprah has said, “We must know better to do better.” No truer words have been spoken. Without the knowledge to do better, there is no possible way to do it. Whether you need to know how to change out an engine, market a sports team, cook a gourmet meal or take care of others, you can find all the knowledge you need for your career and your life goals at a Wisconsin Technical College. They not only offer the education, they help you achieve the knowledge. They teach you with real life situations and involve you in real life decisions and projects. They don’t just give you the knowledge; they help you “know” it, so that you can truly do better.

With that in mind, give it your all this semester and from here on out. When school gets boring, or tough, or tiresome, remember that it isn’t about the grade, it isn’t about the job, it’s about you. It’s about knowing better to do better and improving your life. I know that my tech college has improved me, and I couldn’t be more thankful and pleased with the continued growth and outcomes it provides.

A New Year..A New Beginning

A New Year…A New Beginning..

It is an age old tradition to make New Year’s resolutions and start fresh as of January 1, XXXX. I remember as a child being so excited that I was allowed to stay up so late, simply so I could make noise and cheer and then go to bed late. Then high school came and I was allowed to spend it with friends. We would write down our NYE predictions and resolutions and the next year on NYE we would pull out the old lists and go over what had happened, what hadn’t, who was right, who was wrong and discuss the year as a whole. Finally in college, the New Year was yet another excuse to throw a party and celebrate making it through another year with friends. Now that I am finishing college, things are different.

Phase of Change

This year, I spent NYE with one of my friends; one. We made dinner, had some wine, and talked about the past year and how 2012 not only should be, but needs to be, better than 2011. We didn’t really do resolutions, we didn’t make predictions, we didn’t even go to a big party. When I woke up in the morning – January 1, 2012 – I felt awesome. I realized that while NYE has been a traditional time of change and improvement, it isn’t the day that makes the difference; it’s the attitude. NYE is a symbol of change and improvement, but it’s because we believe that this is a fresh starting point that it truly is. If it weren’t for our belief in that and the renewed belief in us, December 31 and January 1 would just be two days, the end of one month and the beginning of another. It is our belief in ourselves that comes with the belief in this day that makes the new year so much better.

With that, I realized how grateful I am for the opportunities I have found at my Wisconsin Technical College. It has been a long process for me. I always knew my passions and had an idea of what I wanted to do with my life and my career, but I hadn’t found the tools and the help to really push that dream into reality.

I had overlooked technical colleges as a means to achieve those goals; growing up in a place and time where technical colleges were reserved for the “unmotivated”, “lazy”, and “unintelligent”. To be honest, the only reason I attend a technical college was because it was too late to transfer from my first university to the next and I didn’t want to take a semester off. That one semester completely changed my mind about the technical college system and the education provided through these institutions.

I enjoyed the classes and felt like I was actually learning relevant skills and knowledge that I could use in my career. As I continued on with the technical colleges, I continued to grow both academically and professionally and now that I am graduating I am more than optimistic about the future; I know it will be a bright one with many successes. And I know this because of what the Technical College System has taught me.

So, if the “magic” of NYE surpassed you and you really aren’t feeling the fresh start so many people are talking about, don’t worry. January 3-January 4 can be just as special as December 31-January 1; it’s all about what you believe in. Start by believing in yourself. From there, explore your options and take that leap into the fresh “New Year”. I accidentally stumbled upon my great technical college, why not try it out and see if it is right for you?

You’ll never look back on your life and regret something you did, but it will be hard to look back and wonder ‘what if’?

As finals are approaching, or for some, are already here, I thought it would be a good time to be a little cliché and break out some stress management tips, stories and relief.

The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” In short, it’s what we feel when we think we’ve lost control of events. (Mindtools.com)

At this time of year, we are all experiencing a little stress. I always wondered back in high school why we had the end of the semester be a short couple of weeks after we got back from winter break, and not before the holidays. We all just had weeks off of school, how were we supposed to remember something I’d learned all the way back at the end of summer!? Now I have a better sense of why they played the game this way.

With the holidays comes an abundant list of “to-dos” such as shopping, present wrapping, get-togethers, family time, decorating; to throw in school and finals seems insane. But, millions of students across the United States and across the world do it ever year. While the mystery of how anyone gets through all of that with any color left in their hair may never be solved, here are a few tips from collegefashion.net on how to keep your hair colorfully shinning.

1. Avoid Stressful People
   • Stay away from others that are tightly wound and on the verge of a breakdown; it’s contagious
2. Eat Healthy and Exercise
   • If your body is worried about nutrients and its cardiovascular health you’ll be worrying about even more as finals approach
3. Just Say NO
   • You can’t do everything people, or even you, are going to want you to do. Sometimes you just have to say no to the party and finish some studying or relax
4. Take Breaks
   • If you overwork yourself, it will be even harder to actual learn and retain the information. Make sure you pace yourself and take breaks.
5. Visualize it Going All Right
   • Mind is the body’s most powerful tool. If you think it, and believe it, it will be. Picture the test being a piece of cake, the presentation being perfect and the project winning first place.

Here’s a story from a fellow student about time management and how to help get through this stressful time of year:

I find that the best way to keep myself on task with what needs to be done is by making a list of everything that I need to do. You can also put a timeline together if you feel really overwhelmed. You will find that the more that you can cross off the list the better that you will feel. If you stay focused and try to keep to the tasks at hand they will get done faster than you think. Lots of times things can be combined, like if I have to run places I try to combine trips so I am already going and I get it all done in one swing.

Also look at the time that you do the best work.. or the most efficient time. You don’t want to run errands at 5pm during rush hour. This will take time, maybe work on something else and wait for an hour.

AND FINALLY…some funny, weird and/or entertaining things to take your mind off the stress!

Find Your Passion..It Makes All the Difference

There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. -Nelson Mandela

Education is something that is as much a part of who we are as family is. We grow up surrounded by learning, and for 12-13 years of our sanctioned childhood we are mandated to be formally educated. Some kids are starting kindergarten or pre-kindergarten as early as 3 and the idea of not going on to some form of higher education after high school is equivalent to thinking you can stop going to school after 8th grade; it used to be accepted if not common, but definitely not anymore.

Growing up, I can remember thinking about college (or at least what I envisioned college to be from what I was told) and planning my academics and extracurriculars around that goal as early as 6th grade. It obviously wasn’t a huge, thought-out plan full of exact deadlines and enrollment dates, but it was always the prized goal of my education. I knew I wanted to go to UW Madison 
and I knew that getting there would take work.

As junior year approached and the application process began, I didn’t even consider applying to other schools in Wisconsin. There simply was no way I was going to get an education from any school other than the best, I mean if that was the case –if I wasn’t going to do the best- what was the point of doing it at all? I was going to get in and that’s all there was to it.

My first two years after graduating high school were at UW and I loved all that Madison college life had to offer; the freedom, the parties, the classes, the life that it created for it’s students. At the end of the two years, I was about as close to a major as I was at the beginning of my education career; I was swimming in debt, and still unsure of my passion. I had spent all my childhood dreaming of attending Madison, and when I finally did, I was stumped as to what to do. My passion up until that point had been to go to UW; I hadn’t thought on past that point and was now stuck with a great feeling of uncertainty and failure.

As I am now attending a Wisconsin tech college, I have been able to search out and find what really drives me. I am in the marketing program and have secured a few internships in the field as well as a part-time job with a talent management company. The Technical College System here in Wisconsin gave me the tools and the opportunity to figure out what my passion was. It was always there, but they helped me chip away the rough edges and find the right direction for my career path.

The moral of the story here is to not look at the glitz, glamour and shine factors of a university or college, as they are easily misleading. I was blinded by the assumed prestige of a university and it didn’t give me the help and education that I needed. I could have just as easily done my general education credits at a technical college and not only saved a bunch of money, but possibly found my passion sooner. I have learned so much through attending my college and am thankful for the opportunities the experience has afforded me. I am planning on continuing school after earning my Associate degree. I am still going to get my Bachelor’s, it’s just going to end up costing a lot more time and money for me than had I done things in a different order.

Technical colleges aren’t for everyone, just like universities aren’t. If you are unsure what your passion is and you are going to school because that was your goal but you are still seeking a direction, consider a technical college. You never know the possibilities it might unlock!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9u_2E93e3g

Bueller…Bueller..Anyone….

“Here, class attendance is expected and students are required to take notes, which they are tested on. What is missing, it seems to me, is the use of knowledge, the practical training.” –Harrison Salisbury

Agree or disagree?

I have had this issue with the education system for as long as I can remember. Why are we given a grade on our attendance? I am not in school to learn how to show up on time, or to show up at all, especially at the college level! I already know how to do this. If you need help learning how to be on time and show up, you should do it on your own time and you probably shouldn’t be working on a college level degree if that is still a struggle for you.

Now, when I say I know how to attend class, that is 100% true. It is also true that I do not always wish to attend and I will not always be there. Why do instructors feel the need to fixate on that and require my attendance?

Some would argue that there are important things you miss by not being in class. That may be true; I may be missing information that could benefit me. However, if I can find that information on my own time and I continue to do well on homework and on exams, does it matter if I found the information in a textbook myself or from the professor? And even if I don’t find that information on my own time and I miss out, isn’t that my choice? It’s my education and if I want to earn a good grade and graduate, I will; if I don’t, I won’t. But either way it’s my decision to make.

To me the practice of grading attendance is something that takes away from the intellectual credibility of the class and the instructor. It is a way to pad your grade if you are a “perfect attendance star” and it is a way to deflate your grade if you choose to not show up because you are confident you can find the information on your own. Showing up or not has nothing to do with my intelligence or ability to get the job done, so don’t grade me on it and make it look like it does.

I wouldn’t be so inclined to fight against attendance policies if showing up to class was sufficiently beneficial, but this is not the case. Last week I showed up for my 830am class -meaning I was up at 630 to get there on time- and do you know what class consisted of?? Our instructor gave us three questions to answer from the book and then said the rest of class could be spent working on homework or the semester project. The three questions took up five minutes of the hour and 15 minute class. Now, if you are at all like me, you’re sitting there wondering ‘why in the H.E. double toothpicks did you wake up at 630am to come to class to do something you could have done on your own time?’! Simply ridiculous.

And the argument that it prepares you for a job, where attendance is also required, doesn’t warrant much attention. True, your job may require you to come to the office, but that is because you are needed at the office and it’s a job. Your job will require you to do thing, and if you can do those things well and on time, that is what is expected. When and where you get the job done is not  going to be a big priority for your employer as long as it is quality work. If you make a brilliant piece of work, it is brilliant, period.

So, this is my stance on attendance being required and graded by technical schools and universities; it shouldn’t happen. Grades are meant to show your intellect and ability, not your schedule.

Let me know your thoughts and opinions on this!! Comment below!