Grad vs. Undergrad | Finals Week

Ahh beginning of December - the 1-3 weeks of absolute hell for all those in college and university. Cramming, late night studying, a sudden urge to set up permanent camp in the confines of the library (any library) to aid in your study aura. As I reflect on what I went through in the 4 years of undergrad, and am now undergoing my first term of grad, I can't help but draw sharp contrasts and parallels between how I felt and acted in these few weeks that we all love to hate - FINALS WEEK.

**Please note that these experiences in grad school are from courses I particularly chose, which DO NOT include such vomit-inducing courses such as economics, finance, and accounting, which would have likely involved many more issues than what I'm about to outline below. To those in those courses... I pray the force is with you.**

#1 - Sleep
Undergrad: A foreign word. A foreign act. Something that those who are either a) too smart for their own good, or b) decided they'd rather fail than sleep, do. Sleep is a form of weakness. Giving up. For whatever reason you get this rage-competition with friends, saying 'Oh, you studied until 11PM last night? I studied until 3AM, sucka... [definitely going to get better on this exam than you]' mentality. But really you start questioning yourself... did I need to stay up til 3? Did I overstudy? Did I study the wrong thing? Well, time to crack open another red bull, get buffalo tenders from Wilfs, and carry on back to the library to read that text book I just opened the wrapping off of last week. Sleep is for the weak.

Grad: I get a lot of it because I make it a priority.

#2 - Eating Habits
Undergrad: Redbull, coffee, latte, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Redbull, coffee. Put whipped cream on it. Buffalo fingers, chicken tenders, bags of candy from bulk barn, anything instant or fast. Cry-eating. McDonalds. Basic mentality is that calories don't count because f calories, you just want to get through ECON-3400 in one piece and damnit there is no time to cook something healthy. You'll worry about your nutrition later when you go home for the holidays to mom and dads, where they will stock you up on food, love, and laundry. For now, lets order 2 pizzas and get back to the books.

Grad: I eat the same as I eat any other time of the year, though more frozen foods than usual (faster). I eat what I make/prepare and nothing is really sacrificed to be honest. Although, like pregnant women, I find the excuse pops up that I can eat what I want because I'm under significant stress... but who are we kidding people, really. I use that excuse at times other than finals.

#3 - Stress Level
Undergrad: Well there's an awful lot of my hair there in the shower drain (as you currently stand in 2 inches of shower water). Mental note to get that fixed... after Christmas break... by asking your boyfriend or father to do it for you. This is saying, of course, you make it to the shower at all during finals week. Stress has raged out of control to the point where even taking time for a shower is probably not going to happen. All of the sudden you get nervous ticks, smell like a homeless man, and are so overwhelmed by work you end up taking a nap in the same sweats you've had on for 3 days with your books hoping to learn via osmosis.

Grad: Stress level is pretty much the same as undergrad, if not much worse because your career depends on it and you actually WANT to do well, but the years from undergrad and the years after undergrad have provided you with experience to deal with such stress. All the sudden the same things that used to make you wild are more under control. I sound like an old woman, but with age and experience comes the ability to handle what your own version and response to stress really is.

For those of you going through the above, keep going friends, you're almost there!

Response to "Why I Hate School But Love Education"

I just watched a YouTube video that's been circling around the social media world for the last few days. Usually I jump right on viral videos and share them with my networks immediately but not this one - I was hesitant. I had a feeling that whomever was talking in that video was going to bash what I am currently doing in pursuing higher education just so I can get a better job and make more money in my little black suit (which are all not reasons I went back). I didn't want to be bashed and didn't want to take 6 minutes out of my life to feel badly about my decision.

But after seeing comments of fellow university friends on FB that were inspired and sharing this link, I decided to give it a view. And I'm glad I did - this guy is right on the money.

For those of you who haven't watched it, I'll post the link at the bottom of this page. To recap, this young man, who is standing out front of a university, speaks about how we are programmed to believe education is key to success, less stress, more money. He says society and our parents [generally] believe the only way to be successful is to go to school. This young man goes on to give examples of people who did just the opposite - Branson (my idol), Jobs, Winfrey.. that never achieved higher education and are incredibly successful. Furthermore he expands this list of the newly defined educated-not-schooled into people like Malcom X, David Beckham, and Beethoven. Though not educated through school or by traditional means, these people are educated in their respective fields and masters of their art. So are they any less smart than a piece of paper that states a degree?

School does not equal education. And education does not equal school. In agreeance with this young man I find that we develop understanding and education best outside of a traditional school environment, where tests with specific answers, grading and bell curves, set timelines and strict codes, do not limit one to their thinking and application. I see this all the time with people I've grown up with that cannot focus properly in a classroom environment. Poorly 'educated' (not poorly schooled) teachers would write these people off as being disobedient or stupid, but they aren't - they just learn in a different capacity, learn better at a different time of day, or learn exponentially more when taught via different, non-traditional, means.

I hope we get to a point in the school system where we can foster a culture of learning that does not mark in red pen and cast aside children that cannot focus from 9:14 - 9:49 in second period math class. People learn differently. People envelop education differently. And so we must adjust our school system to reflect the mindsets of all learning types, not just the a-typical types. Though this may not sound feasible, I challenge the traditional means to also step out of the box and find ways to educate, truly educate, not school teach.

As I sit here, about to head off to my higher educated learning, I am thankful I chose a school where I feel like I'm getting educated, not taught. There is a considerable difference between the two, and is a major differentiator between my undergrad and grad program. I am graded on contribution, analysis, and discussions. Not 2 midterms and 1 final per class that have me staying up until all hours in the library cramming useless charts, tables, lists, and dates that I will undoubtedly forget. Just using your mind, opening your thoughts, to how certain situations can be viewed and backing that up. That's how you get graded at this level. And that is what I call education, not schooling.

Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ZmM7zPLyI