For many of the students at Ames High, a college education is soon in their future. There are some who think that college is a waste of time. There are some who believe that college is four years of education that might not get you a job and is thirty to fifty thousand dollars down to drain. College isn’t just about the education. It is also about four years of being completely independant. It is about experiencing new things and going out of your comfort zone. It is about finding new opportunities in life. College has so many things to offer. It has sports, a wide variety of classes, internships, clubs, greek life, the list goes on and on. It should be near impossible to not find something that sparks interest. Probably one of the best parts of going to college is meeting new people. Meeting people in college is kind of like meeting people in kindergarten. Ask someone if they will be your friend and they will say “yes.” Okay, maybe it’s not that simple but it’s easier to make friends when each and a every person is a stranger to one another. Now, unless you make the worst first impression ever, it should be relatively easy finding a group of people to hangout with. Outside of the social aspects, college prepares you for high paying and stable jobs. It prepares you for being a businessman, engineer, doctor etc. With a college degree, your annual income increases a considerable amount. A high school diploma will earn you around $20,000 a year, while a bachelor’s degree will earn you around $45,000 a year. “I’m going to college because my interest area is not an option at high school,” senior Paul Jasper said who plans on studying architecture. Although the high school has a lot of classes, college simply has even more. They cater to your wants and needs and will prepare you for your dream job. The bottomline is that college is a guide for you and helps you discover what you want to do in life by offering a ton of opportunities. It is four years that you will never forget and love.