Saturday, September 20, 2014

"The Discovery of Middle Age"


Like Coates, I was not a good student. It sounds like I made much better grades than he did, and unlike him, I earned a college degree (as did his four brothers). But I still wasn’t a good student. My college transcript looks like the smile of a supermodel missing several teeth. I never, ever developed good work and study habits — and this is something I very seriously regret every single day of my professional life. You know how they say that nobody gets to their death bed wishing they had spent more time at the office? I will get to my death bed wishing I had spent more time in class, and studying. I’m taking a junior-level history class at LSU with my 14-year-old son this fall, which means I’m shlepping twice a week across a campus that I haven’t been on as a student since 1989. I want to grab these kids I pass by the shoulders, shake them and say, “You have no idea what a privilege it is to have four years to do nothing but study. Don’t waste them! Don’t be like me!”

Read the rest of Rod Dreher here.

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