Is It for Me?

Lately I’ve been thinking deeper about the purpose of higher education. What started this whole chain of questions is the fact that Nam Whan, the first girl Thai Circle, my non-profit, awarded scholarship and virtually my younger sister, “Coconut II”, she calls herself, almost died from Dengue Fever. Dengue fever is no longer fatal but it almost took her life because of a lack of education of the people around her. Anyone dying is a sad news, but knowing that someone almost died from simply a lack of resource and education seriously depressed me. My first reaction was, of course, shock, anger and tears. On second thought, I blamed it on myself that most dedicated 16 years old I’ve ever met would sacrifice her life because I haven’t done enough to help out. The work my non-profit was doing was not enough bring education to her but also to people around her to save her life. I wanted to leave Williams and put my whole self into my non-profit work and work that focus on issues of education. But, when I discussed my thoughts with my brother, Patrick, he said to me, “This is your education.”
化悲傷為力量. Transfer emotion into energy, I thought to myself.

Few days later, I was able to look at the situation and focus on what the Williams education or simply college education provide or take away from me. Is it worth it all? Is it essential to a successful future? Looking at people around me, Christian’s sister, who spotlights one side of the spectrum, came to my mind. Elizabeth, as an undergrad and Stanford University, conducted a research on medical analysis that she realized could save over 100,000 people’s lives if put in market. The decision she chose was to leave Stanford and a degree everyone envies. Today, Elizabeth is a 22-year-old CEO and a proud founder of a company that is extremely successful and saving people’s lives. The success did not come easy and leaving Stanford was a gamble. Elizabeth put away her youthfulness and emerge herself in a world of competitive business suits with a big dream.
On the other side of the spectrum, there is reality. Elizabeth is both talented and lucky, but the truth is, she is a legend. In our society today, it is extremely difficult to be effective and to be respected as a college dropout. Do I have what it takes to be successful? Do I have enough under my sleeves to find a place in the real, grown-up world? Am I ready?

Are there other options?

Link of Elizabeth: http://www.inc.com/30under30/holmes.html

Comments

[CHRiSTiNa Ma]

i will be sure to read that book ASAP!

my thoughts are with you Rach...

[Greg Walker]

I hope you find all your answers.