#NerdsUnite: Yay! I just graduated college!! But um, now what?
<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Megan. She recently just graduated from SDSU and is now entering the world with a fresh pair of eyes in a stinky economy. In these series of posts she will discuss her thoughts and discoveries as she ventures out into the real world. Hit it Meg!!! </editorsnote>
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @MegCorbs
One of the most disheartening things I experienced while in college was the infamous Budget Cuts. This happened around my Sop/Junior year.
Due to the shitastic debt that California was in the "governor" decided one way to remedy the situation was to do MASSIVE budget cuts to higher education…not once…but MULTIPLE times.
Now don't get me wrong when I say this next thing about SDSU because I really do love my alma mater, but when I applied you just needed to spell your name right on the app to get in.
Ok, maybe it wasn't THAT easy, but you get the picture.
Now fast forward just a few short years later and it's becoming virtually impossible. This I just CAN'T wrap my brain around. The virtually impossible was reserved for schools like Stanford and UCLA not San Diego State.
But I'm getting ahead of myself here, let's backtrack a little.
The first immediate effect of the budget cuts was of course tuition hikes. While SDSU's tuition is fairly low, it's still crazy how MUCH it was raised over my remaining years and I can't even imagine what it is now. We would even get emails AFTER we paid tuition saying that the board voted and we have to pay an additional xxx amount. Um, what? Way to eff up people's student loans guys.
Next up was the increasing of class sizes. My last two years should have been spent mainly in smaller sized classes but nope, bring on the 500 student lecture halls. Not only does this prevent learning from actually happening (and wanting to stab those stupid sorority girls who insist they can talk the entire class about that "totally awesome frat party" because the class is so big) but the profs stop caring as much and who can blame them. When you are in charge of that many students how do you give an eff about each one individually? Not possible.
Then came the age of disappearing classes. All the classes that you are actuality excited to take in upper division aren't there anymore. Even though technically you should be able to choose your classes, that option isn't there anymore. So say goodbye to Origin of Greek Mythology and hello to Rhetoric and Writing. BOOO
So what does all of this equal up to? NOT BEING ABLE TO GET CLASSES.
Registering every semester was the BIGGEST pain in the ass. You wound up getting NO classes you really wanted and having to "crash" classes you needed. When you crash you basically show up on the first day hoping that there is room and that the prof will let you stay. This usually winds up with a ridiculous amount of people crashing for like 2 empty seats.
So back to the whole "people can't get into school's now" thing. As much as the above all sucked I'm immensely grateful that I got into SDSU when I did. They are turning away so many Cali kids in favor of out of state students who have to pay triple the tuition.
It's so sad that the day has come that even if you WANT an education you can't get it. These lawmakers are putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. Yes you are saving money now but where the hell do you think this state is going to go if the people that want to be educated can't?
We are the generation that is going to turn this horrible mess of an economy around and don't you dare forget that!
Keep Kicking Ass and Taking Names!
