Okay, just a disclaimer – if you’re looking for some sort of secret formula and technique, this is not what it is going to be. Instead, this is more of just a thought to think about the next time you find your mind wandering off in uni.
So let me start this off with this question:
If you spent $30,000 on something… anything, what would you do?
Would you just mindlessly use it without making the most out of it?
I bet some of you would say HELL, NO! Because you’re going to get your money’s worth right?
But newsflash: most people are doing exactly that.
Hmmm, with what may you ask?
Our Uni Degrees!
Let me share you a personal story:
My Personal Story from My First Year of Uni
In my first year of uni, I can with confidence that I DIDN’T drift off in class most of the time, BUT I certainly did not do that all the time.
It was only until my second year, in the middle of the first semester, that I started making use of the value of time. …
I realised that I was wasting so much of it!
I thought about the times that I daydreamed during tutorials and got bored during lectures….
I realised that I was technically wasting money doing that.
It wasn’t like I was in high school or primary school where the education is free.
Everywhere I am at uni, I am technically paying for all of it.
Once I realized this, I felt so much guilt – it took a long time for me to get over it. From there I tried to really pay attention in class but then I felt guilty that I didn’t start doing this earlier.
After Graduating Students Have the Burden of Paying Back Thousands of their Student Loans
After graduating, most students begin the exciting journey of having a job and earning money.
However, with having the job, they have the burden of paying their student loans.
I’m no expert in research, but from what I heard, I reckon $30,000 average is the amount of student loans that have to be paid back.
So let me ask you a couple of questions…
By mindlessly daydreaming in class, are you making the most of that $30,000?
By doing assignments in the last minute, are you making the most of that $30,000?
By making excuses to not attend lectures and tutorials, are you making the most of that $30,000?
So my point is that when you drift off, and not put a lot of effort, you’re actually throwing away tons of money out the window.
Yes, you’re not technically paying for it now, but in the future you have to pay it back.
Imagine paying back something that you did not make the use out of…
That’s like paying off a car that you didn’t make the most out of.
And like paying off a trip that you didn’t enjoy and make the most out of.
Let’s face it – you’re paying for each tutorial you attend, each lecture you watch, and for each teacher you talk to.
And that $$$ you have to pay back eventually doesn’t even include the textbooks that you have to buy along the way.
No need to feel guilty though…
Yes, I bet that some people reading this, may have realised that they did not just wasted their time, but are going to be wasting their money in the future.
But… there’s no need to worry about that. I’ll show you why:
Let’s go back to my personal experience again…
I had to get my act together just to make myself feel better – if I started now (in my second year) paying attention in class, I would have:
(in a 4 year course)
1st year – 60% paid attention
2nd year – 70% paid attention
3rd year – 100% paid attention
4th year – 100% paid attention
When I calculated the average of the percentages (never thought that I’d be using a calculator while blogging), I discovered that if I made the most of paying in class when I started, and committed to paying attention 100%, by the time I finish my degree, I would have made 82.9% the most out of the 30,000 that I am spending…
Yes it’s not 100%… but I felt so much better after seeing that number.
Now in my second year (writing this I am on my 7/13 weeks of this semester), I have started making the most of my tutorials, lectures, and everything else in uni. If I keep being 100% present in everything that I do in uni up until I graduate, I did not let that money go to waste.
I’ve accepted the fact that it can never be perfect, that’s why I am happy with that 82.9%. – now I have a motivation to be 100% in every tutorial and lecture… and I’m okay with that.
Look at it this way – lots of people spend money in the self-improvement and personal development industry.
You are going to uni to get a degree right? Then get a job?
You are technically paying money to give you the knowledge, speciality, and skills that you need to get that job one day.
I’m totally making this up, but let’s just say that every lecture is $50 per week, every tutorial is $100 per week, and every interaction with the teacher is $100 an hour.
So when you’re in a lecture (or watching a lecture online), act as if (even though it’s technically real) that you’re paying for that lecture.
When you’re in a tutorial, act as if (again, even though it’s technically real), that you’re paying for that tutorial.
When you don’t feel like talking to your teachers, act as if (even though again, it’s technically real), that the $30,000 includes talking to teachers….
So here, you’re paying (or going to be paying) for uni, and just like if you’re spending a lot of money on something, you would make sure that you make use of it as much as possible right?
So to conclude, I hope that this little perspective had gave you something to think about the next time you find yourself no paying attention in uni… 🙂
AND
Just so you know, there’s a video version of this post just in case you don’t like reading:
