Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

     I believe the Europeans have the right idea about school, they seem to understand that you’re supposed to be getting an education, and then living your life doing what you desire to do. Did you know they only go to school until 16? Or something like that I believe. I’ve never understood their education system, but I feel as if they’re doing something better than us because there’s something about 14 years of schooling that just doesn’t seem right. What are we learning? They tell us that we are learning complex math, and how to socialize. They tell us that we are learning the curriculum, and how to be organized and efficient. They tell us that through our classes we are learning how to become adults; how to handle the real world, they tell us that they are “preparing us for our futures”. But really, what are they teaching us? Besides learning to memorize and reiterate whatever they teach us through the 30 hours a week they have us. They’re teaching us to do what we’re told and not question even the stupidest of commands because they have “authority” over us. They’re teaching us that we need to be adults, yet refuse to treat us as such.

     Now this isn’t about slamming the American education system- I tend to enjoy it from here and there. You socialize, you learn what subjects you like and don’t like, and you join clubs and teams and meet new people. There’s much more to school than the work that goes on inside the classrooms. But what happens when school’s over? When we all graduate and get a much earned pass into the real world? Many choose more schooling- to broaden their knowledge on the subjects they have a passion for, or the subjects their parents force them to go into, or careers that will keep them financially stable. Some decide to get right into their fields of expertise, going into factories and garages and on the road. Some go travel the world to see the great wall and the Grand Canyon. Others just spend time trying to figure out what it is they actually want to do now that they aren’t busy with school all day. But the thing we don’t realize is that within two days you go from high school student  to adult, and suddenly you’re expected to have all the answers- when most of the time you just don’t know.

     So what is the great big plan for life? What are we going to do? I have about one year and 200 days to figure it out- some have more, some have less. Some only have a matter of weeks, whereas some may have ten years. But the question is always evident no matter where you are in life: what next? Change is next; doing something new, switching up routine, moving around, meeting new people, learning new things- life is next. Most people, as I’ve come to realize, don’t like change at all, not the thought, the process, or most times even the outcome. But where would we be if we stayed in one place our whole lives? Well we’d probably be dead, even if we were still breathing. People need change, even if they don’t realize it. We are a species of creativity and adventure and a need to know more, a need to do more. We get bored in one place for too long and we get tired with the same jobs for too long and we get annoyed with the same people once time passes. We are not people meant to be stuck in one routine our whole lives.

     Change is difficult but I’ve learned it’s always for the better, no matter what it may be. Change may be hard and it may be unwanted, or at the wrong time, but it will work in your favour. Whether it’s graduating or moving or breaking up with your partner or losing a friend or failing a class, there is a purpose for it. Life teaches and sometimes change is the best lesson of all. I’ve learned that if you are unhappy you are able to fix it, all you have to do is be willing to change it. Be brave enough to so say enough is enough and then do something. I’ve met so many people who cannot accept change, people who run from it, and I find it quite foolish because you cannot prevent change.

     I swear I had proper intentions during this piece, but I sort of got caught up on thinking and planning and working on my own change for the future- I got sidetracked which I didn’t mean to do. I guess you could say my plans for this were changed. Anyways- my point being, if you see change be brave, be courageous, chase it, catch it, embrace it. Change is coming for all of us.