I enrolled in college with the goal of improving my programming skills, but was forced into a âbalanced educationâ curriculum that felt pointless and restrictive; the registrar, whom I likened to a villainous lawnmower, seemed intent on cutting away my individuality for the sake of paying her fee. Despite earning a 4.0 and making the Deanâs list, I dropped out because the mandatory courses left me feeling betrayed by an institution that prized uniformity over authentic learning. Though I enjoyed evenings with classmates, the art professorâs nickname âpigâ and a philosophy teacher who never covered Descartes left lasting impressions. In hindsight, I realize that my time in college was spent memorizing test questions rather than truly engaging with knowledge, which ultimately forced me to leave and rediscover my own creative path outside of âinâauthenticâ education.






















