Holly: You've probably heard the saying "knowledge is power." I find it to be true. Not literal, brain-esque power. There are thousands of people around the world who want to attend school but simply can't. I'm thankful each day for my Berea College education. I wish all young women my age could have had the college experience I did. Sure, I gained textbook knowledge, I learned how to write a decent paper, but I learned so much more than that: how to be independent, how to think critically and for myself, how to manage my time (sort of?), how to ask for help, how to properly communicate with people different from me...the list goes on. Education helps you to gain and recognize the potential you have. It becomes a part of something that's bigger than yourself. It drives you, gives you something to work for. At least it did for me. Like I said, my Berea College education is worth a lot more than the piece of paper hanging up in my living room.
Do I think it'll give you a leg up in the world? Maybe. I suppose it depends on where you end up. Do I think all who are able should go to college? Yes. But it's your choice. I just think any education, especially college, teaches things about yourself that a mere job or other life experiences can't. Education also opens doors: if I never went to high school, I never would have gone on my mission trip five years ago. If I never went to college, I never would have been able to study abroad. Because of those two educations, I saw parts of the world that I probably wouldn't have been able to otherwise. Yes, school is difficult, yes, it is stressful and time consuming, but I would go back in a second if I could.
Kelly: Though I think education is very important, I feel that it is a choice of the individual. People argue that good jobs require a college degree, and while I agree in part to that I have friends who are doing fine in the world without one. I'm not going to sit here and force feed some "you need to go to college" to my future children if I have any; I will leave the choice to them. I will strongly encourage going to college, because in my opinion I think it makes you a better person. At least it did for me. For me, I'm going to not only talk about why I think education is important, rather why I think a Berea education is important and the impact it has had on me.
In almost 2 weeks, I'll be graduating from this place. Since I was 18 years old, I have called Berea my home, and still continue to do so. I've known I wanted to go into nursing since I was probably around 14 or 15, but little did I know how much of a challenge it would bring me. And yes, I have been challenged greatly, but I'm better for it. There have been times where Berea has completely knocked me down flat on my face. I remember one time last spring, sitting up late on my computer researching the process of changing to an independent major. I had a backup plan; I was certain that nursing wasn't going to work. But one of the major parts of me nearly completing my journey at Berea has been my walk with God. God has moved mountains for me to finish here, and I would not be where I am without Him. Berea is a unique and special place in my opinion, and it's by His grace that I ended up here. Sometimes I think about where I would have possibly ended up if I didn't end up here; probably still at home or close to home. I'd probably have my ADN degree and working somewhere around there...who knows? Not that I'd be miserable, but I know that my experiences would have been a lot different. Like going abroad; would I have had the opportunity to do that? I don't know.
Yes, this road has been long, tough and very VERY difficult. I have no regrets though. None. I wouldn't trade my education here at Berea for ANYTHING, and it saddens me that some did not have the same positive outcomes and experiences that I did. I will walk across that stage knowing that I did my best, I trusted God and I came out a better, stronger and wiser person.
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