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College Is A Journey Not A Destination Essay

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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

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