Is A College Degree Really Worth It???

I ask myself this question over and over again each time the collection agencies call my phone, requesting full payment of my student loans, which I was never able to pay because I never got a job that payed me enough money for my rent, to buy food, and also to send Sallie Mae that $100+ monthly student loan payment. Sallie Mae is the biggest tease of all student loan companies. They are so nice in helping you to get a loan so you can go to school and pay thousands of dollars for a college degree you'll probably never use because it's all about who you know these days, not what you know. They very well know that once you graduate school, there is no way in hell you'll be able to find a job, within 6 months of graduating, that will allow you to pay for your necessities along with your student loans and be able to live comfortably. When you do ask for their help regarding payments, in any sort of way, they have no desire to work with you. It's all or nothing, which seems to be their motto. It's nothing but a big headache, which stresses me out every day. I'm more than likely to die young from the stress induced by Sallie Mae, and other student loan lenders, than to pay back my student loans in full, plus interest.

So, back to the question, "Is a college degree really worth it?" In my case, no way. I received my BA in English: Creative Writing. I felt that my degree was a waste of time. I know, for a fact, that I've learned more about English and creative writing through the many articles and books I've read on the subject than my tenure at the University of Central Florida. Their program pretty much sucked. I had one teacher there, Peter Telep, in which I can say that I actually learned something from. He's an all around great, hard working teacher, who made creative writing fun and interesting, and I continue to aspire to be like him, in the sense of becoming a successful creative writer. Other than for him, I can honestly say my degree was a waste of time.

If you desire to go to school for something regarding math, science, or a subject in which a degree is key, then, YES, I do believe that a college is a must. But subjects pertaining to the arts and humanities don't necessarily require a college degree. I learned that the long, hard way. Colleges and universities are nothing more than a business. A business that wants nothing more than your money. So, each semester and/or school year they raise the tuition prices, not caring whether or not what you're learning is beneficial to you. As long as you're willing to pay, they're willing to take it from you.

Erica I. Feliciano

Potato Chips???

So, I'm writing a poem about potato chips. Not just any potato chips. No way. I'm talking about high quality potato chips. Not the kind that are already in crumbs by the time you get home, unload the grocery bags, and sit down to enjoy a bag of salty, crunchy potato chips. I'm talking about the kind of potato chips that come in flavors. The kind that have more crunch than grease. The kind that are perfectly salted so that the flavor bursts in your mouth the moment the potato chip touches your tongue. That's the kind of potato chip I'm writing a poem about. Now, if you don't know me well, then I don't want you to think I'm some kind of weird potato chip loving freak. I am a bit strange, at times. But my passion for the culinary world comes from my love of cooking, and the 6 months I spent at culinary school contributed to it as well.

Here's what I have so far:

I like my potato chips to be
crunchy, salty, and
with very little grease.
A great potato chip should be
flavorful, and in tact
once you open the bag.
A great potato chip
is strong enough to
marry with the thickest of dips.


Erica I. Feliciano