The Death of College

Have you noticed it? The dorm halls aren’t as full. There aren’t as many people in line for food at the dining hall. Campus is becoming… quiet. The population at school clubs is on a steady decline. But why? I feel the answers come in easy increments. Trade school, Tradwives, and Trendsetters. 

Trade School seems to be a more appetizing option these days. When talking to fellow classmates, a lot of them were upfront with me. ‘I should’ve just gone to trade school’ or ‘My parents wouldn’t let me go to trade school, and now I’m here.’ From all kinds of people, on both sides of the sexes, I hear laments and regrets about going to college. Complaining about how they could already be in a high-paying job by now instead of spending precious money and time on a degree that they don’t even seem to really want. This includes skipping class, bad grades, not doing their homework or reading. In all honesty, I don’t blame them. College is not for everyone. If you didn’t enjoy high school, then you probably won’t enjoy college unless it was due to other people. It’s unfair that people are forced to go to college when it’s something they won’t enjoy. 

However, more people are learning how to stand up for themselves. That means more people are going to Trade school instead or just going straight to a job. Let’s be honest, college is expensive. It’s a lot of money for something you may just not enjoy. It’s a relief that the people who aren’t interested in college have different paths to take. Here’s the problem though. That takes away a large population of people coming to college. So, that’s a possible reason why there’s not as many people showing up on campus. 

Another reason is the new rise in Tradwives. There’s been a large uprise in women who just want to get married, have kids, and stay out home with them. We see this happen all the time on TikTok with users like Nara Smith and Ballerina Farms have led a new revolution for a group of women. This leads to these women not wanting to go to college and instead living their lives as homemakers and wives. This career path is completely fine if this is the way you wish to live your life, however this does count onto the people not coming to college. I have a few friends that had dreams of going to college but met the person they love and decided to drop those dreams in order to marry young. This can affect the amount of people coming in. 

In this same mode, influencers and trend setting has really drawn people away from college. With the promise of being rich from doing nothing but sitting in front of a camera, people who could be at college are currently attempting to become influencers. This has been a new epidemic since around 2014 with the uprise of YouTube. Markiplier, DanTDM, and Jacksepticeye came on the scene and suddenly everyone wanted to be a gaming YouTuber. They made money and had millions of fans just from playing video games and having fun with their friends. With the introduction of TikTok, things changed. Once the blow up of people like Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae, there was a huge increase of people becoming famous easier. To be honest, I kind of fell into this lull. Not to the point that I would ever quit school, but I had a time where I really wanted to be TikTok famous. Luckily, however, instead of dropping out of school it just helped me realize I want to pursue social media marketing. 

Others aren’t as lucky. I know quite a few people who have dropped out of school to become influencers of one kind or another: YouTubers, Instagramers, and especially, TikTokers. After the TikTok ban, I think a lot of people realized that those kinds of careers are never permanent. I don’t think that really deters people, however. I have a feeling that people will do anything to make a quick buck and stay out of the usual 9-5 system. Once again, totally fine if that’s your journey. It’s not something that interests me anymore. 

While I think it’s great that other people are finding alternative career paths, I think it’s dangerous to encourage especially young children to become things like Influencers and streamers. This has become a career path that even my little cousins have told me they want to pursue. Don’t crush these kids’ dreams, but it should be said that these kinds of careers should not be encouraged. Everything on the internet can be so permanent while also being fleeting. Attempting to build a huge career like that should start off as a hobby while trying to reach for something bigger. If that’s how their lives end up, that’s great. But it should never be the only option. 

These are just some of the reasons why I think college admission is so low. Fewer high school graduates are interested in pursuing a college degree. They’re looking into other fields. While some are completely valid, I believe that a lot of these could match certain college degrees. It’s understandable if college just seems out of reach both financially and mentally, but don’t completely count it out. If you have any interest in college at all but aren’t too sure yet, I recommend taking a community college course. They’re typically not as expensive as usual college courses and may be a good way to judge your skills. Plus, most colleges take those hours into consideration, and they’re added to your academic record, so you could get some hours out of the way. 

College is not for everyone, and I’m not saying it is. All I’m saying is that college seems to not be of interest to a large group of people. Admission rates are down, and colleges are definitely feeling it.

• admission
• college
• Influencers
• lifestyles
• trade school
• tradwives
• trends
• university