Is school a waste of time?

Can’t stop asking yourself “is school a waste of time?”

The short answer: no, school is not a waste of time provided you set aside time to pursue things that fascinate you, make friends, and explore activities.

But if you’re only focused on your classes then it’ll surely feel like a waste of your time.

Why?

Because most classes are taught in a super boring way and professors are not paid enough to feel motivated to change their old ways for something exciting.

So what triggers the “is school a waste of time” feeling?

The feeling usually gets triggered after:

• Receiving a bad grade in a test or hard exam.
• Falling behind in lots of your homeworks.
• Realizing you really hate your classes. 

There’s more.

What sucks is that you could have awesome grades and be ahead in your homeworks and still feel like this. And I’ve found sometimes it’s little things here and there that make the feeling worse.

Things like:

• Rigid schedules

• Uninspiring lectures and uninteresting textbooks

• Overly strict rules by your professors

• Lack of freedom to express opinions 

• Grading system that rewards memorization over understanding

Let’s say we vote yes to “is school a waste of time”.

Now what?

You either:

• Drop out and go create a business
• Drop out and go get get a job.
• Drop out and do nothing.

Ehh, no 3 is not really an option if you’re not swimming in money. Can’t survive. 

So we’ll focus on the other two real options.

Should you drop out and make money if school is a waste of time?

“Drop out and go make money.”

I see this all the time. 

On Reddit.

Twitter.

YouTube.

TikTok.

People tell you school is useless and that you should drop out and focus on creating a business right now.

That’s terrible advice!

Terrible.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong in creating a business. In fact, everyone should try it. But think again before your rush into it.

Why?

Because over 90% of startups fail.

I’m not talking about random-lemme-jus-try-it startups. I mean real companies with smart people. 

And bam!

They fail.

**But what about all those smart people that dropped out and made it like we hear all the time?  **

Like Mark Zuckerberg. 

Bill Gates. 

Or other geniuses. 

Ugggh… wouldn’t you just love to swim in that sweet dough like Gates?

Turns out there’s a catch.

Zuckerberg → Already created a dope AI tool before college.

Gates → Already built products for companies before college.

Oh and their parents were connected (like Gates’ mom was on the board of IBM, which helped Gates get access to the first computer ever bought in their neighborhood). 

These guys were: geniuses + past experiences + connections.

At this point, college was clearly in their way.

Many other regular people drop out every year and don’t make it. We never hear about them.

We only hear of the few geniuses who blew up.

So what does this mean? It means for the average person, dropping out to create a successful business is not that straightforward. 

It is very very VERY hard.

So you’ve gotta think twice before you do it.

One thing to remind yourself whenever you think school is useless.

Always remember: Life without minimal school is a nightmare.

Look, there’s something really messed up in our world.

And it’s that if you don’t earn at least a bachelor’s degree you’re likely:

• To earn less income over your life time (e.g. college grads earn 30k more than high school peeps).
• Get stuck with low-paying jobs that barely get you by.
• Feel disrespected and not taken seriously in social circles.

It’s really messed up.

😢 But that’s the reality.

👉 I’m not saying getting a school diploma is everything. But not getting the minimum is you literally setting yourself for an incredibly hard life. It’s not worth it, my friend.

6 tips to deal with the “is school a waste of time” feeling.

Gotta remember that you’re not alone in this feeling that school is a waste of your time.

It may not feel like it but others are facing it too.

Many students struggle to find the motivation they need to stay engaged in their studies. But it’s important to remember that there is value in education, even if it’s tough to see right now.

The Tips:

1. Try to narrow down on why you feel this way: Ask yourself what specifically is causing this feeling and how it’s affecting your ability to stay motivated. Once you have identified the source of your frustration, you’ll at least have a clear sense of what to solve. Sometimes, it’s procrastination causing you to fall behind. In that case you need to a solution to stop procrastinating. Maybe you need more help from your teachers or additional resources to better understand the material. Or perhaps you could benefit from a change of scenery – try studying outside or in a different environment if possible. 

2. It’s okay for some classes to not feel worth it: Accept this feeling. Focus on getting good enough grades in horrible classes and move on with your life.

3. You’re saving your future self from a much, much harder life:by at least earning your bachelor’s degree. If you are looking to gain a competitive edge in the job market and open up more career opportunities, earning your bachelor’s degree is an essential step. The reality is that most employees consider a bachelor’s degree an avenue to develop important skills like critical thinking, problem-solving and communication that are invaluable in any job. Plus your bachelor’s will also give you the opportunity to slowly start establishing yourself as an expert in your chosen career and potentially increase your earning potential.

4. Just because your classes are boring doesn’t mean learning stops: You should find things outside the classroom that you enjoy learning and explore on your own. This is where you can spring up your own business too.

5. Set realistic goals for yourself and celebrate small wins along the way: Instead of focusing on the long-term outcome of your education, break down your goals into smaller chunks that are easier to achieve. Doing this can help you build successful habits in college. And don’t forget to reward yourself for reaching each milestone – these little victories will help keep you going when things get tough. 

6. Take breaks from studying when you need them: Sometimes, you’re burnt out or getting close to it. And this can happen if you don’t know how to study effectively. Just because school is important doesn’t mean that it should take over your life. Balance is key for staying healthy both mentally and physically – so take some time for yourself if needed. Whether it’s going for a walk, reading a book, or just listening to music, give yourself permission to step away from school every once in a while. 

♻️ Please come back and re-read this whenever you feel down.

What if the “is school a waste of time” feeling is so strong?

Then you might be better off dropping out.

Many times if you’re in a rut you need to step away and come back refreshed. You can give yourself 6 months or a year. Or longer.

Or you may decide that it’s indefinite. 

But whatever your decision is, it’s important to also tell yourself the truth about dropping out and never coming back.

Some hard truths about dropping out:

1. You may drop out and not really do anything productive.
2. If you don’t have support you will struggle to pay your bills.
3. Sometimes, being a student in the US makes it easier to get cheaper healthcare coverage.
4. Even if you get a job, you may end up bouncing from one low paying job to another because “anyone can do it”.

It’s a tough pill to swallow but these issues are real.

So you’ve gotta factor them in when deciding to drop out.

You’ve gotta believe in yourself.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged when it comes to learning something new, especially when you have to sit through boring lectures and later face endless homeworks.

But don’t let fear stand in the way of your success.

With a little determination and willingness to learn, you can go far.

So don’t be afraid – you’ve got this!

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