I have heard numerous older adults say that my generation wants everything now. Now now now. Graduating in 4 years isn't fast enough, we speed because we need to get places faster, we have no patience, even fast food isn't "fast enough". Yes, I am guilty of this but I never once thought it had anything to do with my generation, I just thought God created another impatient human being...until now. I don't blame my generation entirely for my lack of patience, but I do see the effects it's had on me.
Usually after graduating high school kids go off to college, I was no exception. Most go for a four year degree, smart people go for higher degrees, and the impatient people go for two year degrees- that's me. Why go waste four years when I only needed two? For what? So I could get a job faster than everyone else. For what? To start making enough money. For what? To pay the bills. What bills? Big girl bills- the ones meaning I live on my own and have my own car. For what? To have the status of a real, independent, stable, woman. For what? I DON'T KNOW FOR WHAT ANYMORE!
Why do I need a degree now? Why do I need to live on my own now? Why do I need to accomplish everything now?
That was my life up until a week ago. I was sick of living my fast-pace life, not enjoying the blessings of the present. At first I thought it was laziness until I remembered what everyone's been saying about my generation.
Two days ago I went on a field trip to this wood place, of which I had to drive for 30 minutes on the back country roads to get there. About 98% of the employees there were Amish. Did I actually learn anything about wood on the field trip? Sure, about 2% of what the guy was saying because it was so loud. But I think the bigger lesson I learned was simplicity. I know it's stupid, but just seeing what the Amish boys wore (plain shirt, pants, shoes...nothing fancy) and seeing how little they cared about what they wore (in a good way) just made me realize how messed up and embellished this world has become...in our jobs, what we wear to our jobs, the interiors of our homes, the cars we drive, the list goes on and on.
Even our education system has inflated. Did you know that Amish kids don't get educated past the eighth grade? Now that you know that you're probably thinking that their IQ's are extremely low and they aren't smart right? So not true. The man giving the tour at the wood company told us that one of the Amish boys invented some wood machine using concepts in his mind, they built it and now some major company wants to buy the idea and patent it!
That got me thinking, if some Amish kid can invent a huge machine with an eighth grade education, why is there all this hype about getting a college degree? Ok no, I'm not dropping out of college but I will take my time getting my two year degree...yes, I plan on taking 3+ years to obtain it. And you want to know what else I plan on doing? (God willing), I want to get married by 22, travel with my husband on and off for 3 years, then settle down, have kids and get a full time job. Realistic? probably not. But hey, it's my dream and it's better than the impatient one I was living.
