Do You Feel College Students Are More or Less Independent Than a Generation Ago?
GMR
2012/05/09 17:23:11
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354 votes
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253 votes
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556 votes
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It's about that time of year, when high school graduates prepare for the next phase in their lives: College. For many students, it's an uncertain and unpredictable stage. They're starting over in a big way, but know it will be more uplifting and exciting than the transition into high school. College is that ephemeral life-limbo where Facebook started, where "Animal House" took place, and where you (supposedly) decide what to do for the rest of your life.
Whether you're going into college, went to college "back in the day," or are hoping to go at some point in the future, take our 6-question Quick Poll when you get the chance and let us know what your experience was like, or how you expect it to play out.
Whether you're going into college, went to college "back in the day," or are hoping to go at some point in the future, take our 6-question Quick Poll when you get the chance and let us know what your experience was like, or how you expect it to play out.
Top Opinion
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cinbadl 2012/05/09 17:37:08
But then - life is much different today, and the need to be independent is not so proliferate as it once was. Plus, parents are more "Helpful" in nature then those of my Parents Generation. Most of My peer group moved out of the house by 18... most of my friends kids still have kids that still live at home and they are nearing 30 years old. and I had one that lived at home until he was 23, and I had to push HARD to get him to do his own thing.
Yes... Today's High School Grads are considerably less independent then prior generations.
Fortunately I had the kind of parents that let me work growing up and taught me the value of hard work and independence. By 15 I was allowed to be gone all day on my bicycle without checking in and when I turned 18 they kicked me out the door to become a grown up. A lot of my friends parents seemed to want more control over their kids' lives. In fact, I knew a couple of classmates whose parents expected a phone call from them every night and wanted to have their grades mailed to the house for their review. I was a resident assistant in college and regularly fielded calls from parents who couldn't get ahold of their child. When asked how long since they'd heard from them often times it would just be a few hours or a day and they were in full-blown panic mode. Crazy.
I want to blame the students for not fighting for a bit more independence but after an entire childhood of subverse parental control who can blame them? Most of my friends were purchased a gaming syst...
Fortunately I had the kind of parents that let me work growing up and taught me the value of hard work and independence. By 15 I was allowed to be gone all day on my bicycle without checking in and when I turned 18 they kicked me out the door to become a grown up. A lot of my friends parents seemed to want more control over their kids' lives. In fact, I knew a couple of classmates whose parents expected a phone call from them every night and wanted to have their grades mailed to the house for their review. I was a resident assistant in college and regularly fielded calls from parents who couldn't get ahold of their child. When asked how long since they'd heard from them often times it would just be a few hours or a day and they were in full-blown panic mode. Crazy.
I want to blame the students for not fighting for a bit more independence but after an entire childhood of subverse parental control who can blame them? Most of my friends were purchased a gaming system from an early age and this acted as their full-time babysitter so the parents could work two jobs-not so they could "keep up" but so they could have every last piece of junk they wanted (cool cars, boats, bigger house, etc.) all the while their family fiber is dissolving.
Generally I feel like a lot of people from my parents' generation needed to feel like they had gotten everything all figured out, everything is perfect, don't change a thing, etc. This creates an environment that is completely non-conducive to new thoughts, ideas, etc. If you're raised to believe that the world is at a point of stasis or perfection, why should you want independence??? Indepence breeds crazy things like innovation, creativity, strong leaders, etc.
The truth is:
The salaries that justify a college education are nonexistent right now, and the dollar is the weakest it has been in decades.
It's not the only reality, but quit treating everything like a character flaw. Sometimes, you get served a s**t sandwich in life and have to eat it at gunpoint.
Now?
They get money from Mom and Dad.
The economic realities of the 80 compared to today aren't even apples and oranges. They're more like Apples and the planet Neptune.
My parents didn't give me anything and I worked full time through college ( full time student too) and came out at the top 20% of my class. Tough, but that's how it was for me and many others of my generation, "the Latchkey kids."
The Liberal takeover the educational system has made them crybabies that believe they are owed that which they have not earned.
You certainly can't make blanket statements about either generation but I have observed two major differences between when I went to college in the mid-80's & now.
One, my friends and I all had jobs and from an early age. In my case I had a paper route when I was 13, in addition to cutting lawns in the summer. When's the last time you saw a teenager with a snow shovel walking around the neighborhood trying to scare up $20 a house in the winter? Many of my son's friends & he himself seem allergic to work, many having never even had their first job yet. They seem to feel entitled to getting money from mom and dad. I never wanted to borrow money from my dad, I wanted my own money so I could do what I wanted with it.
Two, getting your drivers license. I absolutely could not wait to get my license & had it six months after my 16th birthday. Having your license meant "INDEPENDENCE". Many kids today have little to no interest in getting their license and still depend on getting around via mom or dad. This shows NO interest in independence. There are many other reasons I could reference but those stand out for me.
As for kids having jobs... it's a different world and full of lawyers waiting to sue at a moment's notice. Then again, I grew up in Phoenix, so lawns aren't as common and snow shovels are illegal. You can thank Chester the molester for taking away the paper routes.