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New Year's Resolution: Stretching

'Van Wilder' Trend Grows
By: Madeline Hollern, Daily Texan (U. Texas)
December 12, 2006 4:33 PM

(U-WIRE) AUSTIN, Texas - When people hear I'm a third-year senior, they don't congratulate me - they call me crazy. At best, people say nothing. More often, they yell, "What? Graduating early? Are you stupid? What's wrong with you?"

I received this reaction repeatedly over this year's Thanksgiving holiday. During the break, I ran into five former boyfriends of mine, all older than me. With another year of college under their belts, they had all matured physically and gained some perspective. None of them, however, had gained a degree.

Every guy I have ever dated will take at least five years to graduate college. Not one of them will finish before the age of 23. One such degree-less ex is already 24. Like the legendary Van Wilder, he has been in college for "the better part of a decade." Does this embarrass him? No. On his MySpace profile, he proudly proclaims himself a "student for life."

Remember your senior year of high school, when you could not wait to graduate and leave home? College, it seems, creates a reverse senioritis - no one wants to leave. And so, the trend for students to graduate fashionably late has not only blossomed, but dominated our culture. As the years go by, more and more university men and women are taking victory laps - an extra semester, year or even multiple years beyond their fourth to graduate from college.

Call these people what you will. Van Wilders. Peter Pans. Toys "R" Us kids. For whatever reason, these students just don't want to grow up yet. Fortunately for them, the trend has become so pervasive that it is not only acceptable, but socially preferable! College, after all, is supposed to be the best years of your life. The parties. The athletics. The vacations. If these years are the best, the rest must be worse, right?

Seemingly, the post-graduate existence pales in comparison to college, which is a blissful Never-never Land of freedom and fleeting responsibility. An entry-level salary, for example, doesn't sound nearly as enticing as having rich parents who will pay for your tuition, apartment and alcohol for an extra year.

"Why leave school on time when you don't pay for it?" a government senior told me in confidence. "It's not like I have loans out and need to get out of college quick to repay them."

Physics senior Brian Andrews agreed. Andrews, now in his fifth year of college, relished his extra year of freedom.

"I have to graduate later since I went to community college first, but either way, I wouldn't have minded," Andrews said of taking five years to graduate. "College is fun. I mean, not schoolwork, but everything else. Living off your parents is nice."

In the real world, there's work, bills and responsibilities. In college, there's winter break, bars and road trips. Juxtapose the former with the latter, and you'll understand the hesitation to graduate. After all, you skip your 10 a.m. class? Fine. You skip your 8 a.m. job? Fired.

Perhaps these scenarios explain why less than 50 percent of University of Texas students graduate in four years. While many students happily take longer to graduate, administrators fret over the ramifications of too many students and not enough space for incoming ones. According to the UT Web site, the change to flat rate tuition came because graduation rates at UT are "significantly lower than other comparative institutions" and the change helps to "reduce time to graduate."

In addition to the new tuition type, the University encourages the B-on-Time loan, a legislative initiative that rewards timely graduation by turning the loan into a grant, if and when a student matriculates within four years with a B-average or better. Students who graduate with less than 123 total hours may also be eligible for a $1,000 tuition rebate upon graduation. So you can't say the University isn't trying.

But my question is, are students?

I won't deny that classes are difficult. Tack on jobs and extra-curriculars, and I can see why some students just can't finish in four years. If you're really putting forth effort and still need the extra time, then by all means take it. But if you're just being spoiled or lazy or fearful of adulthood, I can only wish onto you a future passel of children who feel the same way and cause you to pay for their seven years of college.

For all you Toys "R" Us kids out there, it's called karma.

Comments

Whoa, These kids must be lucky. I had to transfer to from a private to a public College institution due to the fact that tuition was too much and I didnt want to graduate with $100,000 in debt instead of the $34,000 indebt from student loans. This despite putting my nose to the grindstone churning out a 3.8 G.P.A and working on the side to pay tuition because Dad has his own financial troubles to deal with. Not every student goes to college with the assumption of partying. Some like me want to get a degree and go into grad school to make a decent career for themselves. If all these partying "students" only want to party, they can just rent out some empty building space in town and party there and work at an entry level job for spending money since mommy and daddy can still afford not to kick them out of the house. This way those of us students who take education seriously will have more slots and finanical aid open to us!
Posted by: Justin Waldman | January 6, 2007 3:57 AM

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