Editorial: Prison Brock: Not a great TV show
Rob Terpstra
Issue date: 3/28/06 Section: Opinion
The irony of Prison Break returning last week was not lost on me; for many university students, Michael Scofield, the dashingly handsome hero is not unlike them - trapped in a building, policed by unseen powers, trying to escape.
Being institutionalized is a problem many students face in the waning years of their university careers. Rather than approach the big, scary world, they work on second degrees, take jobs in the community, or just delay graduation. I am one of those students.
The "real world" is unfortunately tough to crack. It seems everyone out there is more qualified, or has more experience or is simply better connected.
Companies will fail to return calls, resumes will go untouched and interview requests are met with silence. The world fails you, so you go back to a world of 10 per cent discounts, cheap, basement housing and a structured class life that leaves just enough time to drink on Thursday and sleep in on Sunday.
But cracking the nut that is living is as achievable as it is daunting.
The first step, as they say in song, is the two-step: Get out and get in touch.
The good thing about leaving university is that in many cases it is easy to return home. It may sound painful, but it will save money and give you freedom, as you will have no bills and no real commitments. This frees up time and energy to actually do some hardcore looking. The problem with people who stick around is that they are too busy sticking around to find a way out. Classes may seem easy, but they suck the life out of you and don't give you time to solve one of the aforementioned struggles: connecting.
The painful reality is that Brock's degrees still aren't as well regarded as some people in a certain tower think they are. You really have to go out and fight and get practical experience in order to be successful. A piece of paper with Isaac Brock's face on it is not nearly enough unless you are a SPMA or Viticulture major.
Being institutionalized is a tragic situation. Too many people at Brock - many of them tied to the student union, oddly enough - end up not being able to leave. There is something about a $25,000 a year job that is too hard to pass up. It is enough money to live better than a student, but still not enough to count.
As the horizon of unemployment stares me in the face, the opportunity to get stuck in and take a second degree, accumulating more OSAP debt in the process, is ever so inviting. It is like thinking of the difference between an icy cold bus stop at 8 a.m. and a nice, toasty bed. But the bus stop takes you places, the bed will get you nowhere (unless there's a sexy blonde beside you, then all bets are off).
As a second-to-final thought for this year, do not take your shoes off and get comfy. Consider this the long awaited last stop on your painful academic career. Step off the teaching train and get on the business bus. Don't be a Michael Schofield, run while you still can.
Being institutionalized is a problem many students face in the waning years of their university careers. Rather than approach the big, scary world, they work on second degrees, take jobs in the community, or just delay graduation. I am one of those students.
The "real world" is unfortunately tough to crack. It seems everyone out there is more qualified, or has more experience or is simply better connected.
Companies will fail to return calls, resumes will go untouched and interview requests are met with silence. The world fails you, so you go back to a world of 10 per cent discounts, cheap, basement housing and a structured class life that leaves just enough time to drink on Thursday and sleep in on Sunday.
But cracking the nut that is living is as achievable as it is daunting.
The first step, as they say in song, is the two-step: Get out and get in touch.
The good thing about leaving university is that in many cases it is easy to return home. It may sound painful, but it will save money and give you freedom, as you will have no bills and no real commitments. This frees up time and energy to actually do some hardcore looking. The problem with people who stick around is that they are too busy sticking around to find a way out. Classes may seem easy, but they suck the life out of you and don't give you time to solve one of the aforementioned struggles: connecting.
The painful reality is that Brock's degrees still aren't as well regarded as some people in a certain tower think they are. You really have to go out and fight and get practical experience in order to be successful. A piece of paper with Isaac Brock's face on it is not nearly enough unless you are a SPMA or Viticulture major.
Being institutionalized is a tragic situation. Too many people at Brock - many of them tied to the student union, oddly enough - end up not being able to leave. There is something about a $25,000 a year job that is too hard to pass up. It is enough money to live better than a student, but still not enough to count.
As the horizon of unemployment stares me in the face, the opportunity to get stuck in and take a second degree, accumulating more OSAP debt in the process, is ever so inviting. It is like thinking of the difference between an icy cold bus stop at 8 a.m. and a nice, toasty bed. But the bus stop takes you places, the bed will get you nowhere (unless there's a sexy blonde beside you, then all bets are off).
As a second-to-final thought for this year, do not take your shoes off and get comfy. Consider this the long awaited last stop on your painful academic career. Step off the teaching train and get on the business bus. Don't be a Michael Schofield, run while you still can.
