A great life does not have a destination, but it is a great journey filled with twists and turns. In a multitude of short stories and articles such as; “Ithaka” by C.P. Cavafy, “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, and a New Times article titled, “College Is a Journey, Not a Destination” an important theme regarding the importance of a journey versus its destination is debated. However, these sources all share a similarity. In both the stories and articles the author portrays the characters either enjoying or rushing through the journey to reach a disappointing destination. During the journey, it is apparent that the characters experience a lot of valuable moments and times of joy during their journey without having to worry about the destination. …show more content…
One example, from the New York Times article named, “College is a Journey, Not a Destination” shows that a great deal of information can be learnt from not rushing the journey, “...the non-professional courses I took...like art history, philosophy, English Literature, and so many more, really helped open my eyes to the world…” This quote beautifully exemplifies the large sum of knowledge received from the college journey. Although the narrator is enjoying a profitable job he/she is sure to mention that the minor classes had a major impact on the rest of her life providing her with experience that she could not have learned if she dedicated all of her time to the destination. Similarly, in a poem titled “Ithaka” by C.P. Cavafy the author explicitly states that the journey should not be rushed as it is a vital part of the destination,”But don’t hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you’re old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way, not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.” This detail demonstrates the significance of the journey by showing that the wealth and knowledge gained from the journey will aid once you have reached the final destination. In addition, the detail mentions that one should prepare himself/herself to arrive at the destination by gaining as …show more content…
An opposing argument may state that the destination is more crucial in cases in which one may be in dire need to reach the destination for the health or sake of others. For example, in the short story, “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty it says, “He not able to help himself. So this time come around, and I-go on another trip for the soothing medicine.” As it can be determined, in this case, if the journey was harder for the protagonist she might not have been able to give her grandson the medicine he was dependent on to survive. However, if the journey was too short and required minimal effort then it would portray a lack of dedication to her grandson and in other real-life scenarios. In other words, a long journey brings out the true character in oneself and shows one's dedication to another. Once again in “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, it states,”Old eyes thought you was a pretty little bush.” “Finally, trembling all over, she stood free, and after a moment dared to stoop for her cane.” This furthers the significance of the journey because it shows that the grandma is willing to suffer for the well-being of her grandson. Since she takes the long journey it shows that the journey is significant because it brings out the true character of people rather than arriving at a destination without any struggle at all. In conclusion, it can still be said that the
I’m raised in an environment filled with negative stereotypes, high dropout rates, fewer resources, and low expectations. As a Mexican American from the San Fernando Valley, educational opportunities do not come often. In middle school it massed into my head that going to college is my way towards success. Soon it became the only option for me and as a result, I joined Project Grad to begin my journey towards college. They introduced me to the Chicano Youth Leadership Conference during my junior year. After applying and attending, the conference eliminated the label that Latinos are not college material. Subsequently, I grabbed as many opportunities as I could. In my junior my school did not put me in any AP classes. Therefore, I went to go
America prides itself on having what no other country can offer, The American dream. The United States offers someone to have freedom to make a name for themselves and become an entrepreneur in any industry they want. Therefore, it is easy for immigrants to come from other countries and have a chance to succeed in life. Every American wishes to be the great corporate executive officer (CEO) of a thriving company to make millions of dollars; however, achieving this goal becomes extremely difficult when you find out the great challenges that every CEO has to overcome. Aside from trying to become a successful entrepreneur, The American dream also consists of gaining an education. Completing an education in the 21st century is having a
“Journeys, planned and unplanned, are an inevitable part of life. Their consequences, foreseen or unforeseen, play an important part in a person’s growth.”
I was not aware of the depth or many aspects of concept of journey till our study of it. After our study I have developed a appreciation not only of all of the things I have mentioned but the affect that journey has on the lives on everyone of us.
Imagine getting the job of your dreams. Well, you can, but you have to get more of a education first. College is where you go after high school. Here, you can take many classes of your choice to help you to prepare for your career. Obtaining a college degree has many benefits.
There are some people who think college is a waste of time. Then there are others who would debate that opinion and say college is an essential key to life. With a college education, I would have a better opportunity at making my life a lot better. I will be giving myself the opportunity live above the poverty level of today and I will be giving myself a chance at middle-class living. College can be extremely tough if I am not disciplined but it is well worth it. Going to college gives me the advantage of a better education at something that I love, growth in my career, achieve independence and great aspect of networking.
Many think college is not worth it, however when I think of college not being worth it, I ask myself what is “it”? Is college not worth the sacrifice, time, or stress? In this case, many are not college material, simply for lacking the amount of effort and self motivation it takes to get through college. I oppose with the statement “For many, College isn’t worth it” because college is worth everything it takes for you to become great in the field you choose to study. Many people are not able or do not have the mindset to get through college, but that do not mean they will never have the mindset. Most people do not work hard under pressure or have great skills at testing or learning at a slow or fast pace. Some people believe that after highschool, since it is required, that going straight into an occupation is better for them. In my opinion, college is a stepping stool for achieving higher education and newer knowledge for the area you decide to infiltrate. I believe the educational world is bias to the brainpower of many people and people of the world is bias to the things they are capable of doing. Therefore, I am confident in stating college is worth it because having a college background ensures you quicker job opportunities, college gives you knowledge to become disciplined and self-motivated, and; college also enhances your communication skills.
Overall, through these stories one understands how the journey is meant to matter more than the destination.
Specifics regarding the topic: In my high school today myself along with other high school students overcome obstacles we could have never thought of our freshman year. At the beginning of our college prep four class, students learn that “college should be an adventure” as dr. rouch states in his article to incoming freshman.
Journey is the pathway to growing up. It is the feeling when you look up in the car after being on the road for a few hours and discover you are back home, the place you’ve been longing to get back to all week. It’s the realization that this time next year you will be halfway done with highschool. It’s all of those feelings wrapped up in one.
Moving away from home has been one of the biggest challenges that I have had to face so far in the eighteen years of my life. Moving from my home town to the collge dorm was a difficult transition that was necessary for growing up both mentally and physically as an individual. The little more than five hundred miles that separates me from my friends and family has allowed me to become the person I am today, and the distance allows me to grow and become more familiar with things that are a whole new experience for me. One of the many new things that I have had to deal with was making new friends in my environment.
"Tomorrow is the first day of what I will become." I wrote this in my diary the night before my first day of college. I was anxious as I imagined the stereotypical college room: intellectual students, in-depth discussions about neat stuff, and of course, a casual professor sporting the tweed jacket with leather elbows. I was also ill as I foresaw myself drowning in a murky pool of reading assignments and finals, hearing a deep, depressing voice ask "What can you do with your life?" Since then, I've settled comfortably into the college "scene" and have treated myself to the myth that I'll hear my calling someday, and that my future will introduce itself to me with a hardy handshake. I can't completely rid my
Imagine the senior year of high school when students are poised to enter college and become adults. It's a time of responsibility, of being on one's own, and of shaping lives by making daily decisions. One of the major decisions is where to attend college. Should a person stay close to home and attend an in-state school where people and even campuses are somewhat familiar? Or should the decision be to start a completely new chapter in one's life by attending a college farther away, with totally new challenges? I believe the answer is definitely to leave town.
What has my journey to graduation been like for me? My journey has been a crazy, fun-filled learning adventure. I met many goals and accomplishments I set for myself but I also faced some challenges on the way. For example, I finally met my goal of graduating with a 4.6 GPA and maintaining it. Also, I accomplished completing my last four years of grade school and now I am on the way to college. My last year has been interesting and there are many goals, accomplishments and challenges I can reflect on.
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever been questioned about your dream career, or what you want to achieve as an adult, or even now. Chances are you have, but, did you ever take the time to really think about that question and finally distinguish that you want to be an Astronaut or a Surgeon or maybe even a Scientist? Well, if you did then there’s almost no doubt that you’ll need to attend college to acquire the certain level of skills you need to become that person that you dream to be. Obtaining a college degree will almost guarantee that more and more opportunities will come knocking on your door because a college degree is a stepping stone to success and companies and businesses are very much aware of that. Success is what people are looking for and a degree verifies that you qualify to achieve great things. Oh, and did I forget to mention that that vast majority of people with a college degree make a lot more money than people with just a High School diploma or being a High School drop out for that matter. However, aside from qualifying for an immeasurable amount of career options, a College education has shown to help with communicating with others, which might not just help with job benefits, but also with relationships on another level.