After spending two years at a local community college where I grew up, I felt very restrained with what I was able to accomplish. Although I had a great experience learning interesting things and meeting new people in class I still felt a drive to do more with my life then spend four straight years in lecture halls and classrooms filled with exams and quizzes.

Inside my heart I felt a need to drive away to sense a feeling of freedom and exploration. My days in college often were exhausting as I would spend half my day in classrooms, the library, or the tutoring center in order to get ahead in my education. During the major course of my first two years in college, I also spent a considerable amount of time working each week in order to pay bills and fund my educational investment.

During my course of school I often read and studied to the point of exhaustion. The classes I took were in preparation of a medical pathway. My schedule which contained heavy course loads and constricted time management all battled the supplies of school, work, health, and family matters.

I always felt like every week my to do list was expanding and it seemed like I was never able to completely focus on everything I had set in mind.

After doing some research and exploring some possibilities I decided that taking a break from school, and developing some practical skills and real-world experiences may help nurture my future. The prospects of future education also appear to be leaning more towards a self-educated population, especially as more learning material becomes more openly available.

Also with the idea of a home-school education, often times depending on the environment, these students far surpass their peers when it comes to skill sets and academic performance levels.

It is becoming more and more apparent that not everyone who attends college, holds the common interest of their future education as their number one priority when attending school. However if the ultimate goal of a student is not to become highly educated, the best attribute to develop is social characteristics.

One of the best abilities to develop in educational institutions is the ability to socialize and network. The ability to connect with people and prospects who hold common interests can lead to internship opportunities as well as future job opportunities.

The price tag of self-education and exploring the opportunities of what the world has to offer can be as big or small as one can manage. However the costs of education from an institutional aspect continues to skyrocket at an alarming rate, leaving many wondering whether the risk-reward will lead to a favorable future.

The testing grounds are not only subject to classrooms. Many offices and facilities across the nation and the globe are in search of ambitious learners and researchers. The opportunities of the world are available, they are just becoming harder to seek out and competition is becoming more arduous as degrees become more common place in the market of our economy.

The ability to utilize key resources, become versatile, and develop poise are necessities. Looking at life with a smile and taking it head on will help one embody a better tomorrow.

Remember to look at life as a never-ending learning cycle and steer your thoughts with positive intentions. As a result you will go far.