by Joseph Cook

Created on: February 08, 2009   Last Updated: October 06, 2010

I remember the first day moving into my dormitory. Looking back on that day, it was such a sacred experience. Admittedly, all the knowledge I knew was in store for me gave me a rush. All through my childhood I felt held back from my true potential, like a bird whose owner was scared to open the bird cage door from fear of the bird flying away and going off to college was my proverbial escape and set of wings. Little did I know that, yeah college was an escape and set of wings but its also like flying through a world war. There are bullets to dodge, sometimes just like the "Matrix"-asking myself, "How did i make it out of that alive?"

Yeah, that's a perfect simile for college-The Matrix-a surreal experience-my mind was trapped the first two years by parties and girls. Then, I looked at my 2.0 GPA, took that "pill", and all of a sudden everything I once knew about college was reduced to nothing but hollow shells of their former selves-even some friends. My mind was liberated. The pleasant distractions that had been fun were now challenges to overcome. College made me realize what's important, my future. MY responsibilities. That's one thing I've always liked about college. It teaches me how to be an adult and how to do things on my own. I learned how to do things on my own because sometimes help is not the easiest thing to find and other times help is not there at all; I have or had to make own help; all things beneficial to overall maturity and capabilities.

After I overcame the illusions of college I was able to have a much more pleasurable and authentic experience. The atmosphere of campus became much more relaxed and more harmonious. Maybe it is because I started to study more and going to parties became a system of rewards rather than peer-pressured obligations. I calmed down with the girls even though I'm not ready to go steady yet, I don't put so much emphasis on them now.

All in all, college is the single most valuable experience in my life to date. College is definitely challenging. But how does one become a better person if there are no trials to test his or her character? Simply put, college can either make or break a person.

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