Was College Worth It? A Personal Reflection

I’ve spent years wondering whether college was “worth it,” and even now, I don’t have a definitive answer. What I do know is what those four years meant to me.

For me, college didn’t feel like the typical launchpad into a career. It felt more like a four-year cruise — a slow drift through experiences that were fun, freeing, and unlike anything I’ll likely experience again. The return on investment wasn’t professional; it was experiential. Late nights, inside jokes, friendships, and the sense of being suspended between adolescence and adulthood — responsibilities optional.

I arrived without a clear academic goal, attending mostly because everyone else did. Coming from a private high school where nearly every student went straight to college, it felt like the natural next step. I was fortunate my family could help cover costs, giving me the freedom to explore.

I kept busy outside the classroom — joining a running club, diving into Greek life, even walking onto the track team. Academically, though, I barely remember lectures or exams, and I cringe thinking about some of the projects I submitted.

If I could do it over, I might take more credits, finish in three years, and stress less about my GPA — which, ironically, never mattered in any job interview after graduation.

That said, I don’t regret choosing the University of Oregon. It was my dream school and delivered an experience I genuinely enjoyed. The campus was beautiful, my mental health stayed strong thanks to the temperate weather and arboretum-like environment, and I made full use of the rec center, museums, and Division I perks. Most importantly, being far from home immersed me in new cultures and perspectives and pushed me to form friendships that still mean a lot today.

In the end, college wasn’t career-defining. It was a four-year vacation — meaningful, memorable, and worth it in its own way. I’m proud I earned my degree, glad it mattered to my parents, and grateful I walked away with good memories, lasting friends, and relatively little debt.