Real World or College - Which is harder?

[Killerme33]

Just curious to see which of the two people thing is harder.

I'm currently in college, just wondering what's in store for me after.

 

[funkymatt]

the grass is always greener. stay in school.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Fail @ school -> go to real life.
Fail @ real life -> death?

 

[ed21x]

college is waay harder than the real world. In my work place, I work for a total of 1 hour out of the 9 that i'm suppose to be working and get paid ridiculously well while my boss is always high-fiving me and patting me on the back. In college, I was bending over backwards just to survive (but of course Engineering in Berkeley isn't anything to sneeze at =P).

 

[Killerme33]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
the grass is always greener. stay in school.

Thanks, but I have absolutely every intention to stay in school!

 

[minendo]

School was cake. Before I graduated it was a different story.

 

[IAteYourMother]

I haven't even entered the real world, but I'm sure the answer is college.

 

[Mo0o]

I'll let you know once i get there

 

[andylawcc]

you must be in college.


;p

 

[BoomerD]

I spent well over 30 years working in the real world. For the most part, it is harder than college, but the tests are not always well advertised...they are like the sneak quizzes that some profs give you when you least expect them and totally aren't prepared...only instead of "just" getting an "F", you could lose your job, your house, your wife, your life...and perhaps most of all, your sanity...that's why taking an occasional "Mental Health Day" should be mandatory for everyone.

Overall, the challenges are much different, and each is harder in its own way, but (at least from my perspective) the Real World is much harder than college. Youse youngsters are in a different situation than I am however...you're working towards a career...I've already had mine. Now I'm just filling in the time till I retire.

 

[Nik]

:laugh:

At first I had a hard time believing that this actually got asked. Then I remembered what life was like in school and college. Life was so simple. Relatively, I had maybe 10% of the responsibility I have in now in real life. Neither school nor college presented me with a level of stress anywhere near that I've found in the post-college life.

If I could go back in time and re-live my school and college years with what I know now, I would be soooooo much better off in life right now.

Stay in school. For seriousosityousness.

 

[Eeezee]

It probably varies greatly from school to school and degree to degree. I can imagine an accountant having a great time in college but having a shitty real life (unless this person is a freak and actually enjoys accounting).

In grad school, I'm working 12-hour days on average (for my first year, I guess it lightens up after that) including weekends (so approximately 7*12=84 hours per week and I have no money with which to purchase entertainment, so my free time is spent on ATOT or reading textbooks which is more WORK). I'm pretty sure that's not the average American's workday.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: ed21x
college is waay harder than the real world. In my work place, I work for a total of 1 hour out of the 9 that i'm suppose to be working and get paid ridiculously well while my boss is always high-fiving me and patting me on the back. In college, I was bending over backwards just to survive (but of course Engineering in Berkeley isn't anything to sneeze at =P).

You and everyone else on ATOT. That's why I can't understand these people who think college was easier. Most of the people on ATOT spend 8/9 of their working day screwing around on the internet (a hilarious over generalization I know). Did they even go to college?

 

[Orsorum]

Each has its own challenges and its own areas for exploration. I am not one of those adults that will condescend towards high school or college students because I know I worked my ass off to get where I am, including during high school, undergrad, and graduate school, and I know many people who have done the same. Work has its challenges, too, but definitely its perks and its own particular flexibility.

 

[Argo]

Real life problems are much harder than college problems. Usually the consequences are more serious as well.
On the other hand, I'm a lot more mature and capable of dealing with problems now, compare to "college me".

So in the end, I'd say it's a wash.

 

[Noobtastic]

im incredibly lazy.

so can i take a pass on both?

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I spent well over 30 years working in the real world. For the most part, it is harder than college, but the tests are not always well advertised...they are like the sneak quizzes that some profs give you when you least expect them and totally aren't prepared...only instead of "just" getting an "F", you could lose your job, your house, your wife, your life...and perhaps most of all, your sanity...that's why taking an occasional "Mental Health Day" should be mandatory for everyone.

Overall, the challenges are much different, and each is harder in its own way, but (at least from my perspective) the Real World is much harder than college. Youse youngsters are in a different situation than I am however...you're working towards a career...I've already had mine. Now I'm just filling in the time till I retire.

I think it's different for different people and different fields of work. For example, my mind is better apt to applying what I know hands on, versus memorizing menial details.
It's why I was great with math until learning it became a struggle, and a failure to grasp the concepts. I have a visual and reasoning type of mind.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: ed21x
college is waay harder than the real world. In my work place, I work for a total of 1 hour out of the 9 that i'm suppose to be working and get paid ridiculously well while my boss is always high-fiving me and patting me on the back. In college, I was bending over backwards just to survive (but of course Engineering in Berkeley isn't anything to sneeze at =P).

You and everyone else on ATOT. That's why I can't understand these people who think college was easier. Most of the people on ATOT spend 8/9 of their working day screwing around on the internet (a hilarious over generalization I know). Did they even go to college?

I spend very little time on the net during my week days usually. I'm getting smashed to pieces with work and traders hassling me constantly! Pretty high pressured.

For me College didn't offer the level of stress that I get now as it was self inflicted with lack of work really. The more work you did in CS the easier it was (no sh!t ), but now that I am working I get longer days, more travel, early starts and the stress of a ridiculous work load.

Koing

 

[summit]

real life is too easy, monotony of everyday, you already know most of what you are doing, just find a nice lady. game. set. match. life.

 

[Zee]

life is easier, just more routine and monotonous. college is way more difficult. that's why it's easier to fail out.

failing out in life is harder but more perilous.

 

[Analog]

My statics professor once said (in a Chinese accent) "Engineer build bridge, bridge fall down; no partial credit!"

In college you can turn in an assignment, get a D and move on. In the real world, missing a contract means you're out of a job. Which one do you think is easier?

 

[Cold Steel]

DiffyQ's, yeah, they can be tough. I never had to do them, thank God, but my son is.

Chief Engineer on the company's second largest contract that's on the verge of collapse because of a really difficult technical problem, yeah, that's tough, too. I AM doing that.

If you fail calc, you can get a do over by staying until you pass.

If the contract gets pulled by the customer and your company loses 30% of its' income, well, you decide which is worse for you.

 

[Homerboy]

real life is 100% harder. No question. It's not even a comparison.

 

[Homerboy]

You and everyone else on ATOT. That's why I can't understand these people who think college was easier. Most of the people on ATOT spend 8/9 of their working day screwing around on the internet (a hilarious over generalization I know). Did they even go to college?

There is A LOT more to life than just the # of hours you "work" that makes it harder.

 

[Gibson486]

Jebus...I have only been in the real world for 8 months. I have been crying to back to school 2 months after I graduated. College life is so much easier. You fail....oh well. In real life, you fail, bye.