Was post-secondary education the happiest time in our life?

Those of us who were privileged enough and willing to go to post-secondary education likely experienced a vast range of ups and downs throughout, at least I did.

Those of us who were privileged enough and willing to go to post-secondary education likely experienced a vast range of ups and downs throughout, at least I did. There were a lot of downs, long hours in the lab, shitty food, sleep-deprived days, smelly (possibly mold or asbestos-filled) rooms, some crappy teachers, failed exams, and hours spent questioning why post-secondary education was worth it. We were crammed into 100 sq ft rooms, we shared smelly, often puked in the night before, showers, and we spent most of our time learning about things in often a way we thought inefficient and perhaps useless. I’m making it sound worse than it was, but it’s not far off.

As young adults, with underdeveloped brains, the experience as a whole could easily be remembered as a greatly negative one. There was plenty to complain about and plenty of uncertainty in learning about ourselves, the people around us, and the world.

However, on the flip side, we had comradery in all these experiences. There were tens of thousands of other students sharing these same experiences. Each student’s experience is different but for many, it was their first living away from their parents and learning to survive. Long hours in the lab sucked but at least we were able to do it alongside others who also believed it sucked. Many of us were asking the same questions about education, institutions, and what the hell we want to do with our lives. Your friends, classmates, and growing romantic relationships were anywhere from a 10-second to a 10-minute walk away. If you had an interest, there was bound to be a group to join or the resources to start one. Many necessary amenities were within walking distance. In fact, most things that you could ever need or want on a given day were within walking distance.

So I have to ask, if you were to take your current lifestyle and cram it back into the density of a first-year dorm living experience combined with the luxury and quality of living that you have now, would you do it? What questions and experiences are you having now and are you surrounded by people who are sharing those same experiences and questions? Do you want to be? Post-secondary education may not have been the happiest time in your life but it sure might have been the most connected time in your life.