By Giannina Ong

It seems that being a college student has become a necessary step in life, but that is not always so. Going to college is a privilege masked by the ever-normative reality that more and more jobs require a degree. However, there is a huge number of young people who are unable to go to college whether theirs is a matter of means or life circumstances. Thus, I ask: why are you at college?

For me, it has never been enough to simply do something because my parents told me to. And despite the fact that it seems true and universal in our capitalistic society, money cannot buy happiness; albeit, it can buy security to find happiness in some cases.

Therefore, the answer I would give is as follows: I am here because I want to be here. I do not see myself growing and learning as a person in the ways that I have over the past 3 years in any other environment.

But yes, I do feel the need—especially after this first last week (and while pondering my future graduate school endeavors)—to move on from certain more generalized learning and inquisitions. This is why my posts will be mostly graduate school theme, although I may from time to time reflect on instances of growth that have shaped me while at Santa Clara. Akin to student life being voluntary and optional in many ways, my pursuit of graduate level studies is not for all but is definitely a choice that I am consciously making.

Choices abound in college and beyond it; I can’t wait to share more of my choices (good and bad) with you in the following weeks.