When contemplating the significance of college, its purpose is different for every single person. Some yearn to increase their own knowledge, so they wish to continue their education. Others, however, may be pressured by family members to earn a college degree. Similarly, some attend college simply to obtain their diploma, so their credibility is justified while searching for an occupation in today’s society. Furthermore, some people continue their education in hopes of obtaining a more lucrative job, so they can earn more money and lead a comfortable life. As for me, college is about exploration. I believe in the theory that people are products of their environments; beliefs are formed based on family dynamics, the values that were instilled in them, where they were raised, and their experiences. And since I was raised in a very minute town, I knew that I was privileged and very sheltered. The world offers so much to be grasped, and I was aware that I would not learn anything if I did not change my environment. Consequently, I decided to venture to the city of Chicago and attend school at DePaul University in hopes of developing my true character and exposing myself to an entirely new life.
Throughout my childhood, I lived in the miniscule town of Cedarburg in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. An estimated 11,440 people live in Cedarburg, so gossip is the reigning form of communication. Everyone knows everything about everyone else; nothing is personal. The city’s “downtown” is a single street that belongs to the National Register of Historic Places. Furthermore, Cedarburg is declared to be a thriving business and industrial base with thirty-one beautifully, well-maintained city parks and designated park lands. In addition, this town is acclaimed to have award winning public and private schools. To some, this place of residence may sound too good to be true. Crime is nearly non-existent. Exquisite interurban trails connect all the different towns in Ozaukee County. Cedarburg represents the idealized suburbia.
Moreover, the inhabitants of this town are very wealthy. According to city-data.com, the estimated median household income was $62,395 in 2008. In addition, when analyzing statistics on Ozaukee County, 91.9% of people aged twenty-five and older had a high school diploma and 38.6% of these people had earned a Bachelor’s degree or higher. People living in this city are very well educated; thus, they are able to obtain wealthy occupations and become very successful. Living in this town appears perfect; however, there are several disadvantages that effect from living in this type of community.
In Ozaukee County, populated with an estimated 85,874 people in 2008, 96.0% of them are Caucasia. 1.5% of these people are African-American. 1.4% of inhabitants are Asian. And 0.3% of them are American Indians or Alaska Natives. It is apparent that diversity is non-existent. Therefore, people who live in Cedarburg are very sheltered and many lack perspectives of what life is like outside of suburbia. My friends and I of course differed with our particular values; regardless, we all lead similar lifestyles. I was well aware of this fact, and I knew that I needed to leave this “perfect” town and expose myself to reality. I wanted to harness all of the opportunities the world has to offer, and I could not achieve this in Cedarburg. Thus, college presented the perfect opportunity for me to fulfill this need, which is why I elected to attend DePaul in Chicago, Illinois.
Even though Cedarburg, Wisconsin has been my home for the past eighteen years of my life, I feel more at place in Chicago than I could have ever fathomed. Unlike all my counterparts in Cedarburg, my parents are both hard-of-hearing. I was raised very differently from everyone else and am so grateful I was. I am much more perceptive to people and their feelings than others who I grew up with and am more accepting of those who are different. This is why I knew I needed to attend college in a place where I would be exposed to all of these various people. I wanted to escape the stereotypes that flooded my high school where everyone was essentially the same. I did not want to be “sheltered” anymore. Transitioning into adulthood, I wanted to gain a more profound understanding of life. Furthermore, I believe that I can make a difference in the world. And by attending a school dominated by diversity that is also in one of the largest cities in America, I am able to learn what changes needed to actually be made. I could never have accomplished this in Cedarburg. Moreover, being in the city, the means to actually evoke a change are highly accessible to me whereas in Cedarburg, it would have been nearly impossible to gain any ground on social issues.
Even before beginning college at DePaul University, I possessed a strong foundation of beliefs. And now that I am in Chicago attending school, I am challenging myself to change. I do not intend to alter my ways of thinking; I am simply searching to add more beliefs to my core values in hopes that I will become a better-rounded individual. Although I may also be attending college to expand my knowledge, my core interest lies in developing who I will be for the rest of my life. This may sound like an ambitious goal, yet I know this will happen naturally because I am such a product of my environment.
I am now surrounded by a world filled with countless opportunities, diverse people, and all new ideas. I learn something new every day. Some days it may be academic and others it is based upon life. Regardless, I am positive that I have grown more in countless aspects in five months at DePaul than I have in eighteen years in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. College of course maintains different functions for all those who decided to attend. Nevertheless, the reason is always personal, and it is for the betterment of the individual. College is a time for change, a time for exploration, a time to grow. And for this reason, this is why I am a first-year student at DePaul University.
