I disagree with #6. I always felt like getting a degree is such a huge waste of time, but I need to jump through this hoop to get a job for which I didn't require much more knowledge than the programming knowledge I had after high school (self-taught). But then again I went to school in Europe with cheap tuition, so time is the biggest investment here.
I looked at her, and said, "It was a waste of time."
I said, "Looking back, I there were probably only eight courses that I think will help me?". (I finished because there was a health school I wanted to get into, and didn't want her getting one up on me. Plus--I didn't want to work as hard as my dad did. I remember having to say, "I want to help people when I applied to the professional school. In all honestly science was really easy, and I didn't want to break my back doing an honest job. Yes--I said it, and so many of my peers were frauds. Frauds that used The Placebo effect as their main tool, but were to in denial to admit it.)
Back to my college love. She was going to a UC, and was obnoxiously proud of it. She always had to announce what school she was in, but always left out the CC that barely passed her. (At time, where people didn't brag. I'm so out of now, I guess bragging is ok now? Back in the day, it was a no-no.)
I said it for two reasons. One--being it was the truth. Two--she was just irritating.
For three years, I had to hear about her dream of becoming a Doctor; with her C average, and cheating off me in chemistry.
I remember the last day we were together.
It was the day she asked me if I was proud. I do remember thinking, I'm so glad I finished before you. A lot of you are thinking, another misogynist?
No--I just was with the wrong person. She was stunning, but cold, had the emotional depth of a reptile, and calculating. I turned down so many opportunities while in school because I was with her.
Back to school. I really felt it was a waste of time; But I knew the worst day at school was so much better than any day working. That is a truism for myself.
If I didn't have a nervous breakdown, I would have stayed in school as long as possible. Every day, you get to look at those beautiful girls, and maybe learn something new? (My breakdown was unrelated to school. Just could stop thinking about that weird pain on my head. I was just sure it must be a brain tumor. And I couldn't quite figure out death, while delaying gratification. A little advice, there's no delay of gratification while in most schools.)
If I had a kid, I would tell him to stay in school as long as possible. I would also tell her to network, even if the rich kids make you want to up chuck.