Things I Have an Opinion On #27

Shit Students

If you are reading this, then there is a strong possibility that you have been in education at some point in your life. For this post, I'd like you to think back to being in high school, preferrably 5th or 6th if you were there. Do you remember being told that you had to achieve the best that you possibly could during your highers? Either to get a job when you left, or to get into University? Remember the UCAS process? Remember how horrible and arduous that was, how long it took, how you were made to labour over your personal statement as if your very degree depended on it?

Well, regardless of how this process went for you, I have news you may find distressing. It was all worthless.

While I have nothing to compare it against, I can't help but think I am on an easier course than other people I went to school with. I'm in for 5-7 hours a week. Fair enough, but I still get a lot of work. I have 3 essays due with within the next 5-ish weeks alone (all lovely 2.5k ones). And since being at University I have met hard working people. People who balance their University work with a real job, an actual social life and various other interests. People who participate heartily in group projects, because they know other people are relying on them to get through and get marks. People who I would assume were deemed worthy by the faintly unhuman entity that is UCAS.

This post however is not about them. It is about the people who I am certain cheated the system somehow. People who not only cannot survive at University (and never cease to amaze me by doing so) but honestly make my mind hurt trying to figure out how they managed to convince people that they deserve to be there. People who have at least three highers of some sort, either through school or college. Remember that personal statement? I shudder to think what these people scribbled down in that. And given that they made it to the same place I did, fulfilling the same criteria I did, then I really cannot accept that the process was a difficult as it was made out to be.

It angers me knowing that at some point I was considered equal to these people. While I might sound arrogant, this isn't just on my behalf. I know plenty of people who didn't get to University who worked harder in trying and would be better there. People who are infinitely more deserving than the leeches I've described, or even the people who went through the work to get to University, only to drop out. And if people dropped out for good reasons, as people probably do, then fine. But people dropping out because they can't hack it? Deplorable. Given the state of higher education in the country today there are evidently places, at my University at least, going to people who don't deserve them. I'm not even annoyed at the money wasted on them, I'm annoyed for the people who don't get to go at the expense of these people.

While I am in no way a model student, I have still worked to get where I am, and will continue to do so. In seeing others squandering these opportunities they have, it makes me really annoyed. And it gets worse when I'm stuck in groups with them, relying on input that will come about two hours before the final thing is due. I can't fucking wait.