breathe easy

whether you're 18 or 28 or 38 - if you have no desire to study, if you do not respect academia, and you do not take examinations seriously, why would you enroll in an educational institution? if learning is not important to you and instead smoking a whole lot of hash and killing your brain cells is, why do you bother? if you measure your own worth by how much you can drink before you hurl, why even own academic books?

because if who you are is determined by who you know and who you date, in your own eyes, and if you are closed minded (this is different from narrow minded, which still suggests some room for change), then despite your education, you will not be educated.
and despite your degrees, you might not qualify as literate.
and despite your freedoms, you might never be free.

i am saddened to see how only a few people respect quality education. i am disappointed by the number of people who actually desire to be intellectually challenged. i am disturbed by the growing apathy and indifference, and the increase in inane and senseless chatter. i am confused as to when being intelligent became un-sexy.

it is not a degree that makes an education. it is you and what you do with it.

and so while so many are out there, wasting their privileges and opportunities, i can breathe easy. because that was never me. and i will never allow that to be me.
and sometimes this is all that i have control over.