Preparation, Motivation, and Public Education
“I’ve felt intimidated and such, like I should be much further along with what I want to do.”
The quote is from a friend of mine, who says that he shares an interest in my passion of computer-housed development. Really, I know his feeling well, as I often feel it myself, when faced with experts that I speak to. The thing that has me thinking longer on this, however, is age. That friend is a year older than me, while my most experienced programmer friend is in his mid-early twenties, I believe. At most, six years – that’s a lot of time, sure, but how much is it compared to the nineteen that I’ve spent of my life so far? I often fantasize about what my life would be like if I had motivation in me at an earlier age (likely because of Orson Scott Card’s novels). A few years ago I was working in a corporate, banking atmosphere, and enjoyed it. I wasn’t even 18 then!
Education has always been my focus, yet that focus rarely ever fell in line with my formal schooling. Kids have so much energy, the ability to adapt, to take in their world much more than anyone of even my young age. So why, then, were my years spent wasted in classrooms that had nothing to do with my life? I understand that not everyone knows what they want to do at that (or this) point in their lives; not everyone spent their time after elementary school in places that they wish to someday work. In addition, I know that many people change their minds about what they want, so a base level of education in all areas is important socially and in the work place.
But why, in all of my years of home-bleeping-economics, woodworking, and other trivial classes that wasted hours of education-focused time, did I not have the option of taking classes elsewhere? Why, when I went to the councilors to try to make a decision on classes, did no one say, “Oh, hey, we take people over to the local community college for their math credit, and you could go there and take a programming class instead of woodshop?” Why, with all of my high school teachers, and most of my college professors, has no one offer more than what education is required? I had to fight my way out of a intro to business computer applications class (read: typing!) in high school, to get into a digital design and animation class that was “reserved” away from Freshmen. Now, in college, it’s not that much different. It’s baffling! Aggravating!
And now I hear that the schools near where my sister goes (thankfully she’s in a private one!) are having so many cutbacks that classrooms will grow in size. The specialization that comes with being an individual, focused human being, regardless of age, is gone from public education systems, if they were ever there to begin with.
Perhaps I’m impatient. But, damn it, I feel ready to do things with my life, and start getting the experience I need to become a competent professional. I’ve applied to every place that I can think that I can stand to work, and heard nothing back. I’ve applied for an internship at Microsoft, and am crossing my fingers several times over. But even there, I don’t feel prepared, don’t feel like I’ve had the education that is required for the higher, more intense work that I want to do.
I feel intimidated, as if I should be much, much further along with what I want to do.
“I’ve felt intimidated and such, like I should be much further along with what I want to do.”
The quote is from a friend of mine, who says that he shares an interest in my passion of computer-housed development. Really, I know his feeling well, as I often feel it myself, when faced with experts that I speak to. The thing that has me thinking longer on this, however, is age. That friend is a year older than me, while my most experienced programmer friend is in his mid-early twenties, I believe. At most, six years – that’s a lot of time, sure, but how much is it compared to the nineteen that I’ve spent of my life so far? I often fantasize about what my life would be like if I had motivation in me at an earlier age (likely because of Orson Scott Card’s novels). A few years ago I was working in a corporate, banking atmosphere, and enjoyed it. I wasn’t even 18 then!
Education has always been my focus, yet that focus rarely ever fell in line with my formal schooling. Kids have so much energy, the ability to adapt, to take in their world much more than anyone of even my young age. So why, then, were my years spent wasted in classrooms that had nothing to do with my life? I understand that not everyone knows what they want to do at that (or this) point in their lives; not everyone spent their time after elementary school in places that they wish to someday work. In addition, I know that many people change their minds about what they want, so a base level of education in all areas is important socially and in the work place.
But why, in all of my years of home-bleeping-economics, woodworking, and other trivial classes that wasted hours of education-focused time, did I not have the option of taking classes elsewhere? Why, when I went to the councilors to try to make a decision on classes, did no one say, “Oh, hey, we take people over to the local community college for their math credit, and you could go there and take a programming class instead of woodshop?” Why, with all of my high school teachers, and most of my college professors, has no one offer more than what education is required? I had to fight my way out of a intro to business computer applications class (read: typing!) in high school, to get into a digital design and animation class that was “reserved” away from Freshmen. Now, in college, it’s not that much different. It’s baffling! Aggravating!
And now I hear that the schools near where my sister goes (thankfully she’s in a private one!) are having so many cutbacks that classrooms will grow in size. The specialization that comes with being an individual, focused human being, regardless of age, is gone from public education systems, if they were ever there to begin with.
Perhaps I’m impatient. But, damn it, I feel ready to do things with my life, and start getting the experience I need to become a competent professional. I’ve applied to every place that I can think that I can stand to work, and heard nothing back. I’ve applied for an internship at Microsoft, and am crossing my fingers several times over. But even there, I don’t feel prepared, don’t feel like I’ve had the education that is required for the higher, more intense work that I want to do.
I feel intimidated, as if I should be much, much further along with what I want to do.
