Did you miss out?

[karenlyn]

I'm planning on doing my degree online as an adult. I never had the chance to do the \"go away to college and live in a dorm\" thing. Do you think we online degree-ers have missed out on the college experience?

[FetznJtown]

I've done both. I went away to college when I was younger, but it really wasn't that great an experience. I went to a state university, where a lot of kids would go out and party every night. It wasn't really my thing, so I did what I still do now, hang out with friends and watch tv.

[karenlyn]

lol... that sounds a bit like me. I suppose I didn't miss out too much. I'm not sure why I was thinking that I had... I suppose you see all those college kids partying in movies and things, and forget that you don't really like to do that in the first place! I'd rather watch those movies than BE in them.

[LyricB]

I sometimes get bummed that I didn't have the whole dorm life experience, but I don't know that I would have concentrated as much as I do now on my studies at that age.

[Kokotai]

This is the same mind frame I am in. I did some college but never finished. I am thinking that now that I am older I will do it right instead of partying a lot of my time away.

[karenlyn]

lol... everybody here sound very mature and responsible! :) Good for you guys! I guess that's the thing about being an adult instead of a kid when you go back to school. You have a real idea of what your studies will mean, practically, rather than a vague concept of \"I wanna be this.\"

[Kokotai]

I think most people don't rally know what they want to be when they grow up until much later in life. I am looking forward to doing it right this time.

[LyricB]

That's a great way of looking at it. I know I am much more focused on my studies now that I have kids and such, because I want them to know how important it is to get an education.

[Sister]

Oh I went to college. For many years actually. I just never managed to get that pesky degree and now I'm home with two small children.

[palefrost]

I think if the online colleges take off they will create an online community. Its very easy to do if they had the mindset to do it. Just set up a blog or myspace type thing and go for it. I dont mind the online distance. A lot of those dorm experiences actually prevented me from concentrating on my studies.

[FetznJtown]

I wouldn't have done well in a dorm anyway. I'd rather have my house or apartment. I can't say I really miss being in enrolled traditional classes.

[LilOne1989]

I was one of those kids who grew up too fast. I left my dads when I was 16, was with my husband at 16 too. Never got to go to the prom, didn't have the money. Pregnant, graduated high school, and was homeless all by time I was 18. Finally found my footing by time I was about 20 and started college in a brick and mortar college and was not very impressed with the lay out. I don't really think that I missed anything in either high school or college cause I have seen some of the people I went to school with and I think I'm doing a bit better than they are and they had way more fun than I did and got all the breaks.

[kelkat]

I got my degree at a brick and mortar university and I had a blast. I was involved in LOTS of activities, attended sporting events, lived in the dorms, and hung out around campus. However, I went to college to get the expereince and the education. I didn't expect it to be the magic pill that would land me a great job and make me rich (some of the people I know did expect that.)

If you missed out on the \"experience\" you had other experiences to make up for it. Just consider your life a different path than the one I took. It's not about the places you go, it's about the journey you took!

[FetznJtown]

Excellent point kelkat. I wouldn't be where I am today, had I had different experiences earlier in life. I was fairly active on campus, but did it for other reasons, grad school apps, resume builders and such. I think if I had done what I wanted to do instead of what I should do, it would have been more fun for me. My husband live in a dorm during his first semester at grad school (we were only engaged at the time and the school was an hour from home). It was my first glimpse into the dorm lifestyle, not something I would really like. Neither did he, but he did what needed to be done at the time.

[mtatum4496]

I also started out going to college and doing all the college stuff, back when I was fresh out of high school. Circumstances made it necessary for me to shelve that full time experience. A few years later, I completed that degree with night courses. More recently I obtained a second degree via distance learning.

Both have their own unique perks. The bonding that can take place in a \"full\" college environment is very important - for some people, it is the first time in their lives they become their own persons, and not somebody's child or sibling.

By the same token, alternative means of obtaining a higher education were a boon for someone like me, who was established in an office culture and wanted to further my education.

Because of the years between my early college days and my later online learning experience, it is hard to say which has helped me more. I was not the same person any longer by the time I did the online thing. My needs, my worldview, and my range of experiences were very different from when I was 18.

I think there are people who benefit greatly from both types of continuing education. Circumstances and outlook have a lot to do with deciding which option is the best for any particular person.

[feline]

I still believe that on-campus and online studies offer different experiences that everybody must have. Although each has its own advantages & disadvantages, the experiences that we can get from both will strongly help us become mature adults in the future.

[tweety]

hi,i'm a newest member of this forum site.I really want to have a degree online....i want to try to get online studies in Philippines like Ateneo DE manila or University of the Philippines,but i don't have enough sources of this.tnx[/b]

[kelkat]

Both are unique but by no mean necessary. I had a great time on campus, but I know people who went four years and were still blind sided by reality when they got their degree. It all comes down to "it is what you make of it."

[Starlily]

I was lucky enough to get a good job right out of high school, so while I did take some college courses, I didn't really find it necessary or fun at that point... I did have tons of experiences and got to travel...

Now (years and a family later...) I am grateful that there are so many opportunities online...

[prev10]

Of course you missed out. There is no singularly more complete process of self actualization as the circumstance of living in a college dorm and being every bit a typical undergrad.

[Ceruleah]

I went to a brick-and-mortar school for one semester ... met and married my husband. So I had a great experience. :D

But now, 15 years later, I'd like to add some of the knowledge I skipped over then. Back then it was "socialize or school" ... now I can have both!

[jpsn]

Sometimes I feel like I missed out on something, but then realized..when i was 18 (I am now 24) I met the man that I was meant to spend the rest of my life with..and I guess at the time I didn't feel like I missed out on anything because I already had what I wanted. Then I see that my sister is around that age now and I'm kind of bummed about it. :rolleyes: I think it was better for me though, because I think I would have hit the partying scene and probably wouldn't have done so well. Plus, I'm not much of a morning person.. lol.

I'm happy and content where I am, for now. :D

[kelkat]

It's hard to say that you missed out on something because if you didn't go there then you experienced something that a person in college didn't get to experience.

I think a better question might be "does going to a brick and mortar school make it easier to earn a degree?"

[karenlyn]

Doesn't it make you feel better to know that all the experiences out there are worthwhile. So even if you feel that you missed out, what you DID do was important, too.

Now that I think about it, if I'd gone straight to college after high school like some of my classmates, I would have studied the wrong thing. Now I'm studying the right thing, and on the right path.

[ladygirl99]

I think that it can be isoliating and also that you must be self discipline to able to take online education. When I did it for a couple years, yes I did miss with interacting with people on campus but at the same time taking classes online is one of my best experience.

[karenlyn]

Yeah, I sorta feel the same way. I do feel that I missed out on what would have been a cool experience, but I know that the choice I made was the right one for me.

[jacobmetro]

I had the lucky opportunity to be accepted to a small recognized college in kentucky. I spent a year there. I loved the interaction and interpersonal growth. I loved the activities and the events. I almost wish I could do it all over again. But then I think of my experiences since then...

I've grown a lot by being forced to learn on my own with only the guidance of a mentor and not being bound by the iron fist of hard deadlines. I grew a lot as I finished my AS and then my BS and finally my MBA online.


I miss the social interaction but I'm not nostalgic for the stupidity of my younger days and am glad to have been allowed to jump onto the distance learning bandwagon. It makes for smarter and more motivated individuals.

Jacob M Metro