College life

I recall seeing a video about how our educational system is based on 18/19th century principles such as memorizing and test taking. This (and other experiences that I have had on campus) gave me the desire to write about all my negative and unfortunate experiences dealing with the college life due to the system and bubble (I bet a handful of you understood that). However, I decided to go an opposite route and narrate the wonderful things about going to college. 

First off, I have had the unique opportunity to work for the grounds administration. I do lots of special projects that have taken me to almost every foot of campus (I do wish that I could take a tour of the utility tunnels someday...). College campuses everywhere are so beautiful and unique. I can only find a handful of pictures from BYU, and even they don't do it justice. Some interesting facts i've learned-

• The grass is always green and weedless because BYU takes great care in making the soil that goes under the grass. They also do a great job spreading fertilizer.
• There are hundreds of employees  that work year round to maintain everything. They replace thousands of bulbs each year and tens of thousands of flowers. I think Disneyland is the only comparable landscaping atmosphere. 
• Most of the buildings at BYU are heated and cooled by hot and cold water. The system uses the temperature of the water to blow into the buildings. I've had the opportunity to walk into these heating/cooling units. Its pretty awesome and extremely efficient.

Anyways, take a look around next time you're on a campus somewhere. Breathe in deeply, and enjoy the atmosphere you are in. Chances are, its a whole lot nicer than most other places you could be.

Second, There is something so invigorating about being in a learning atmosphere. All campuses are created as centers of learning, research, and development. It seems like any random week can contain lecture from professors at Oxford, Harvard, and the other prestigious universities. The faculty members are connected with the rest of the world and many are willing to give you a 'leg-up' into it. Think about this: why do successful tech companies call their headquarters 'campuses'? Its because they recognize the power of having a learning, growing, and empowering atmosphere. 

In the past, I have been frustrated about the competitive nature of some college campuses. People can get self-absorbed in what they are doing, and one can feel completely lost around a campus. However, I now recognize the importance of the competitive atmosphere. It helps me to push myself and meet the level of others. I hope that we all get the feeling of rising together, even though we never talk to one another.

The lessons that one can learn by 'living' the college life reach way beyond academia. Here are some life's lessons that money cannot buy.

• How to function on 4 hours of sleep...for consecutive nights
• How to sneak food without anyone noticing
• Betcha didn't think you could finish that 8 page paper in 4 hours; Well, now you know that you can
• Can you imagine how many lessons you have learned by people-watching around campus (especially at a place like BYU)? There are so many things that one ought not to do out in the open...or what not to do or say to others
•  You can do better than ramen and boxed dinners
• You will never choose to live without a washer and dryer in your home somewhere
• Getting a degree is important so that you don't end up working as parking enforcement anywhere

I feel really honored and blessed to be in a college atmosphere. I'm glad that we accept the importance of these campuses and support them through private or public means.