brewery33

Education explained in fragmented sentences

My support of a California State University of Stockton was coaxed into the cage for an all out pay per view match by my friend @slickDiaz. It is my opinion that if we have some sort of public education at the higher level, our community stands to benefit in the long run. Sure I agree with @slickdiaz in the fact that immediate results will not be realized, but we are running a marathon right?

Education is the key to creating the intellectual stock pile that corporations hunger for. I am not so much a proponent of the suit and tie corporate America, but I haven’t even made my point yet, so give me a chance. Since Stockton is essentially devoid of any high paying career other than lawyers to process foreclosures and doctors to medicate and cure the uninsured, the prospect of fostering the idea of a someday state university isn’t so bad of an idea.

Stockton being Stockton, breeds cynicism. So to address the barrage of shit that my fellow Stocktonians will throw at me, allow to me elaborate. Sure we won’t be dripping in ass like ASU or spawn a tradition as rich as Notre Dame, but we can educate some of the many impoverished and neglected residents of this struggling City that prior to the notion of a real college degree, outside of a prestigious $120,000 private college degree, were left with the decision to drive forklift at the Port of Stockton or join the ranks of the skilled tradesman in construction and vie for jobs that don’t even exist, and there is always retail.

I may sound like an asshole and the perennial optimist will more than likely lampoon my viewpoint, but the internet is for opinion, and if you don’t like my opinion, don’t read my writing. I enjoy living in Stockton and have quite the passion to ensure my success along with inspiring people to pipe up and become a part of the process. “You need to be part of the solution Andy”. Well we can’t find the solution unless we have dickheads like me to float hare brained and half baked ideas to the masses to get people to talk and think about the outcome, hence coming to a solution. Also, to those that snap to judge my rhetoric and label it as negative or mean, let me give you a little walk down Andy lane, so you can better see what the world looks like from my point of view.

Now I am an advocate for a state university because I am just the type of Stocktonian that could use the facility. I am 31, married, marginally smart, made horrible decisions as a youth and now want to reconcile my educational goals in hopes of providing my family with an improved and more financially viable life. Our possession of Delta college is an asset. It serves to train people to perform certain tasks through certificate programs. Which is good and needed, but only serves those that are interested in becoming a chef or working an electron microscope. Delta even offers Associate of Arts degrees, which in the work world are as valuable as my Costco club membership card.

I am sure that Stockton is full of people that are in a similar quandary that I am in. I want a degree so that I can further my educational pilgrimage and pursue a professional degree and ultimately produce a more fulfilling career that smiles upon my sanity as well as my bank account. As I near my exit of Delta and ponder my next move, CSU Stanislaus came onto my radar. Only problem is that they don’t degree solely in Stockton. I would have to travel to Stanislaus, in Turlock, to complete my coursework.

Since I have a burgeoning family coupled with a demanding work and civic schedule this option does not work for me. So am I to be thrown to the wolves and be relegated to a lifetime of good enough, just because I was retarded when I was young? No, since I value my education and have balls the size of California, I have made the decision to attend to the affluent local private university in Stockton. Now truth be told this is going to cost me roughly $40,000 just to attain my Bachelor degree, but you have pay to play. This isn’t even including what professional school costs upon graduation. I understand that through prudence and sheer hustle you can subsidize your tuition by seeking out various scholarships, but there are only so many of those, and for the sake of argument the large figure catches eyeballs.

If I had the luxury of even a satellite program extension of the CSU Stanislaus that would allow me and the hundreds of others like me the opportunity to degree in Stockton, I would be all over it like Apple is on devices. Since I am not afforded the luxury of a State University I will plunk down the cash. What saddens me is that I am much more able to substantiate the outlay of such a large sum of cash than say the guy that made similar life choices as I did, only wasn’t afforded the luxury of the family business safety net. I am by no means rich, but I happen to hold down a job that allows my family the simple luxuries of life. I feel bad for those that don’t have much and are starting from the pit, which is so deep that the 45 minute drive to Turlock isn’t the light at the end of the tunnel.