I grew up in a household where getting a college education was heavily stressed. I knew growing up that college wasn't a choice, and I was raised thinking that college should be a priority for everyone. After all, throughout primary and secondary school, all my teachers ever stressed was that college grads made more money in their lifetimes than someone with a high school diploma could ever dream of making, and you could never be successful without a college degree. I never once considered doing anything but attending college after I graduated high school. I didn't make that decision because I wanted to experience college or gain new skills and knowledge. I did it because I was taught that a college degree was the only way to go, and if I ever wanted a career where I made a livable salary and had benefits, I had to have a degree.

After finishing my freshman year of college and seeing how college plans have changed for friends and fellow classmates (and $10,000 in loans later), I can totally see why people don't go to college. Granted, a college degree could open up doors and offer opportunities, and college grads still do make more on average in their lifetime. But while they may graduate with a degree that could net a $50,000 annual salary, they typically have just as much in debt to pay off. College prices are rising, and a lot of people don't come from a home situation where their parents or family members can afford to help them out (not everyone has good credit to be approved for loans, and not all parents or guardians are willing to take out loans or co-sign). Besides the initial cost of tuition — and room and board if you decide to live on campus — there are a bunch of other little costs that you may not view as excessive. (Trust me, they add up quickly.) You will find yourself spending money on school supplies, textbooks, health and beauty products you need and food for when your dining hall closes before you get out of class. Unless you have a job or other source of income, chances are, you'll be dead broke half the time.There are also times when your aid from the government will shrink before your eyes because of budget cuts, and you may find yourself being forced to pay your school before they'll allow you to start classes. Sometimes, it can be too much, and people are forced to drop out and change their plans. College is expensive, and not everyone can afford such a huge investment.

Sometimes, people aren't really sure what they want to do with their lives but feel pressured to go right into college after graduating high school. They may float between majors for a few years and decide college isn't for them or decide that they still have no clue what they want to do. It's perfectly fine to take a year off before college, or to decide to check out tech schools or try and get an apprenticeship in a field that interests you, or join the armed forces...You may discover three years into college that your real passion is somewhere else, and now you likely have accumulated debt. I feel like taking a year off or working until you figure out what you want to do is frowned upon in society, and truthfully, that's some BS. You need to do you and figure your life out, and if that means putting college on the back burner until later or indefinitely, then go ahead. It may be harder if you decide to go back later in life, but that option is always open.

It may sound like I'm dogging college, or trying to persuade you to not go, but trust me, I'm not. I initially only wanted to go to college because I thought it was my only option. A year later, I know college was right for me. I've learned so many new things, made new friends and know that I am now on the path to the right career for me – one that so happens to require a college degree. I was also privileged enough to come from a home situation where I knew I had my parents' support through college morally and also financially. They have helped me with expenses that came up, like books, new clothes and money for hospital bills when I fell ill my first semester and made two trips to the emergency room. The first month of school when I begged them everyday to let me move back home and drop out, they were there to calm me and reassure me that everything would work out, while also supporting me if I wanted to leave my school and choose a different plan. If I didn't have their support, I wouldn't have been able to make it through my freshman year. I was lucky, but not everyone shares my luck.

I see people I've gone to school with who are on different life paths. Some have decided to attend tech schools, some have become stay-at-home parents, some have joined the armed forces, and some have decided that they just want to work and have found jobs where they can support themselves with their income. And in every case, I hear people (mainly adults) shame them for their decisions, clicking their tongues and shaking their heads and saying, "What a damn shame they're going nowhere." But who are they to judge? Who are they to put down someone else? Plenty of those people are going places, plenty of them have jobs where they make really good money, and plenty of those people are happy and perfectly content with their decisions. Going to college isn't for everyone. There are a million different reasons why someone would choose to not go, and not a single reason is any of your business.