The way we consider education is insane. This is for all you high-schoolers who wake up every morning angry because you’re heading to school again, myself included. Think about the opportunities afforded to us - there are kids literally begging to get into schools in China, kids who would do anything to get a textbook and a teacher, kids who will pore over word after word and line after line to get an education. And we’re all here complaining about what we have - something some children would kill for. Of course, there are plenty of people who do appreciate what they’re given in terms of free education, and even I’m not exempt from the frustration and monotony of school, and the education system is imperfect in its curriculum and execution, and this isn’t nearly as simple as I’m making it sound. Caveats abound.
But seriously, get up and do something productive. You have thousands of online courses on everything from the history of rocks to the history of rock & roll at your disposal and for the cost of air. There’s always time. It’s a matter of me and you and everyone else being willing to put in the work to further ourselves with whatever time we have. I’ve been slowly working myself harder, even though summer’s beckoning and I can’t help but slack occasionally - but I’m taking multiple online courses, writing for two different blogs, and about to start several different internships while teaching myself how to make music on Ableton Live.
What I figure is that ultimately, it’s my life, and everything I do starting now slowly accumulates. I’m not competing for college spots and jobs with slackers, right? No one is looking out for me once I hit college, it’s all me. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m working my ass off, or working nearly as hard as some people out there, but I’m making my own moves. I could be working harder (maybe I should be), or maybe I’m taking things too hard (maybe I am).
Regardless, it’s my life that I’m improving, ruining, or making.