You have been lied to. Conned from the day you first set foot upon your college campus of choice. You believe those four years there will make someone hire you? You know nothing. The game has changed and so have the pieces, the dice, and the players. What worked for your parents will not work now.

You think getting a 30-year fixed rate mortgage on a house you don’t need, working at a job you hate, was the goal of stepping on to this campus? I’m not in this position, but I see it all the time. This is why you are living in a man-made fantasy world.

You are not prepared yourself for the real world by following what your professors and guidance counselors tell you. Your desired job will not be found. You will have to forget it out of the steel of your heart and the hammer of your brain.  At no point will the parties, the sleepless nights of memorizing, or writing papers develop the pluck to earn a job right out of college.

You think I’m not talking to the engineers and medical field students too? For some time they have been a safe haven from the non technical majors. They’ve been a beacon of institutional light broadcasted by schools everywhere to give credence to their existence.  Now, however, the same rules don’t apply.

New health care, new job markets and the influx of outside talent have driven this once noble pursuit into the zombie field of three piece suits searching pathetically for just one boss to validate their degree, let alone existence.

What say you now after three years of socializing and becoming aware that there is more to life than honor societies? Some, however, will get a job right out of college. Either their parents or parental network usually accomplishes this. For the rest of you, buckle up. The amount of college educated truck drivers has raised drastically over the past 15 years.

Do you think those people had that in mind while pouring out hours to write politically correct papers for their ego trip English comp professor? How about the idea of being brainwashed by the members of an institution that have never experienced the real world outside their books and study caves?

Some universities are research oriented and actually provide a good for society. That’s great, but do you think those research professors give a damn about you? NO, you’re an annoyance to their work and just a means to their end.

This isn’t to bash professors; many of them are great teachers and people. But if you think for a second you are prepared to do battle with life outside those sheltered dorms, then please do some serious reflection.

What have you done to invest in yourself? At what point do you realize that instead of partying you should be building equity? This is the one time in your life you can concentrate on yourself. Not in a selfish way. If someone tells you to be yourself they have just given you the worst advice in this current age.

You are not good enough. You should not be yourself; you should be your best self. Only in this way can you create an atmosphere where both you and the others around you benefit.

Once the time comes and the joyride is over, you will have one of two distinct feelings. You will either want to stay in this bubble of comfort or be so uncomfortable in this tight bubble that it hinders the growth you are literally dying to bust out.

College should be a launch pad, not a luxury. Sure, have some fun and make friends. Life isn’t just about work. But if you play around and don’t develop yourself and your skills, life will be all about work for the next 40 years, while you are a slave to a boss who controls your future.

If you don’t make a decision, someone will make it for you. Decide right now: are you a sheep or a wolf? But be warned — the life of a sheep is security, but the life of a wolf is freedom.

Milan Dekich | Elite.