Photo credit: Pure Minutes Blog Team
Fries and ketchup; surfboards and beaches; unicorns and rainbows; James
Bond and unshaken martinis—all connect seamlessly with each other.
But so does college experience and well-being after college, according to
an informal interview with six De Anza College students.
Among the interviewees who agreed was Ariel Lee, 21, a junior majoring in psychology.
“Getting support and experiences from college will really help when you are
in a workplace where teamwork is involved or you have to learn to work together
with co-workers” Lee said.
While having team work experiences may be essential to achieve well-being
in the future, 21 year-old Mark Flores, a sophomore of mass communication
major, said having supportive professors and mentors is important too.
“One
of my counselors is very kind,” Flores said “he is always willing to
help me and having
that kind of person to guide me through this journey makes it even more
exciting for me.”
Though De Anza students may agree on having support and experiences will
lead to well-being in the future, only 3% out of nearly 30,000 surveyed college
graduates in a recent Gallup-Purdue study felt their experiences in college
strongly relate to their well-beings after college.
Some De Anza students like Ada Niu, 20, businesses major, feel that De Anza
has set their path to well-beings in the future. Niu said she believes her
involvement in clubs “build up [her] network”—a great benefit for her once she
graduates Niu said.
Likewise, political major international student Hitomi Sato, 23, has also benefited
from De Anza.
“De Anza gives
international students many chances to improve English,” Sato said.” By having good
English skills, it would definitely give me more opportunities when I return to
Japan. “
Still, not all De Anza interviewees are certain whether De Anza will prepare
them for a good life after graduating or transferring.
Flores said he has had a lot of opportunities at De Anza that would prepare
and lead him to well-being in the future, but he hasn’t taken any actions.
However, Flores said he knew “it’s out there.”
Parmida Irani, 19, undecided major, expressed a similar view.
She said since it is only her third quarter at De Anza, she is unsure about
how De Anza will prepare her for life after college. Nonetheless, she said some
De Anza psychology classes have helped her grow personally by “understanding the people
around me and understanding myself
better.”
Overall, most of the interviewees said they believe De Anza provides the
equal amount of opportunities for students to be well off after college as the
more expensive colleges and universities.
Regardless, there are still some like 25-year-old international business major
Nelson Chang, who believe success comes from within individuals.
“Some
colleges and universities
do indeed provide
better connections
and volunteer work for students,” Chang said. “But I
feel it all depends on the people you meet and the opportunities you take that will truly
impact your chance of being successful in the future.”
What is a college/ university's most important job? What is the most important experience you've got out of your college that has greatly impacted/changed you? Share your thoughts on your own education by commenting on the post.
