Better yourself, not just your GPA

Everybody has heard the phrase “C’s get Degrees”; but the sad fact is that some students make this phrase their motto. Instead of being here at college to squeak by, students should be here to better themselves as people.

Students at Chadron State College, and any other higher education institution, are given an opportunity unlike any other. They are given the opportunity to surround themselves and connect with experts in their field of interest. Higher education used to be something that very few Americans had the opportunity to obtain, but now almost every American is given a means to attend college. This is something that students take advantage of. Instead of mining information from the minds of their professors, students sit back and expect to be spoon-fed.

Students at higher education institutions also have the opportunity to study topics in depth without having many restrictions imposed on them. College is tailored for the individual experience, but by sitting back and acting passive, students are letting somebody else take charge of their individuality.

Instead of complaining when homework is assigned, students should realize that the completion of homework is not a means to an end, but rather a means to help them understand something that they should care about. However it is understood that some general classes may not apply to the individual as easily, but it is a shame to see students well into their degree programs that still treat the classwork as a waste of time.

Also, instead of viewing the professors as the enemy, students should view their professors as mentors in their journey to the ‘real world’. The professors are standing in the front of the classroom for a reason. They get the privilege to stand in front because they already spent their time in the seats facing the board.

Instead of being passive aggressive, students should grab their education by the horns and leave here knowing that they have bettered themselves as a person since the day they first set foot on campus. Students should not settle for any certain letter grade, but should rather strive for the best that they can be. Not everyone is destined to get A’s, but the worst thing is when a student decides that they are not worth their full potential.