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Younger students don't take their education seriously
By Bill Schutt
On November 14, 2012
The difference between traditional and nontraditional students at Buffalo State or any college
in Western New York is easily detected: older students care more about school than their
younger classmates.
This is not a shot at the younger students on campus. It's just that each older student comes
with a different story as to why they are in college at this point in their lives.
The older student, more likely than not, has tried to work or start a family. Younger students
are fresh out of high school, without a clue about how the world works outside of their parents'
home or care.
Some students don't fit into that criteria at all, but the bottom line is that younger students
usually take the early college years as a joke.
I have personally been around both traditional and nontraditional students. I, as an older
student, will try to hide my age from the rest of my classmates because the first thing I always
get once I tell my age is "Wow, you're old," or "Never would have guessed that."
I'm okay with it though, because I'm here to better myself.
I'm not here to get the most friends on Facebook or Twitter. I don't care where the party is this
weekend or who's dating whom.
I'm here for my degree, and that should be the same goal for all students.
So put your cell phones down in class. Your friends are not going to stop being your friends
because of a missed text.
Don't start your project the night before it's due and expect a good grade, especially if the
assignment was given weeks in advance.
If drinking and partying is more important than school, maybe you are not ready for college yet.
This semester I've been around too many of these students.
School is not supposed to be fun and games. It's supposed to be a challenge that changes your
life for the better.
The best thing about college is that people from all points of the globe and of all ages can come
together and learn as one. This is a gift younger students take for granted.
Older students have realized they need a college degree to get better jobs and opportunities,
while younger students are still searching for who they are.
Older students have a set goal or position desired after graduation while younger students are
just looking at the easy way out.
The older student does not want to waste any more time in their life.
The younger student just seems to have all the time in the world.
Don't waste your time here at Buffalo State; learn from it. These are some of the best years of
your life. It's okay to have fun while you learn but don't take advantage of the system because
the system will eventually catch up to you.
The difference is huge between the older student and the younger student and hopefully that
gap will shorten in the future.
Just remember, college is not supposed to be easy.
Bill Schutt can be reached at schutt.record@live.com
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