Embarrassed For My Fellow Students

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN MARCH 2011

So the entire British Isles is griding to a halt again, not due to bird flu or swine flu or anything to do with the EU (for once). What's bringing the entire country to it's knees is the student population complaining about fees and money. Again. It seems that whenever anything threatens the status quo of student-suburbia then students decide to have a march and "campaign". What a load of bollocks, quite frankly.

I was asked to attend the march, urged to show my hatred of the Conservative party and stand for the rights of the peasants. And I said no...for two very good reasons. The first and foremost reason is that I actually agree with the increase, it'll do this country a damn load of good. The second reason? I don't want to waste my money travelling up to London to go walking with a bunch of stoked-up, Guardian-reading, Jack Wills-sporting idiots. And you know what? My god am I proud of myself for not going!

It seems that on this march, the sum total of everything that was acheieved was a few things were thrown around, a few funny signs made it onto the news and the NUS president made a statement. All in all it was as productive as a student house party, with drugs and collateral damage. A piss-poor excuse for a demonstration. As a student I am disappointed with my fellow students for not only attending but also for their lack of enthusiasm. In a poll taken there, 50% of students said they were there simply to get a day out of lectures, and didn't really care. That's more like it!

So, why do I not care about something which could shape the future of this once great nation? Well, there are about 1,500,000 students in Britain, not including Ireland obviously, and the majority of those don't need to be here. I believe that University is becoming a somewhat done deal when you leave school, with kids either becoming engaged, pregnant or off to Uni. This does seem like the standard thing to do now, and it makes as much sense as a Panda with a hard hat.

So many students go to Uni with the aim of studying a lacklustre degree, such as Media, Sociology or Film, and is there any point to this anymore? You've got more chance of Tyra Banks offering to give you a reacharound. Don't get me wrong, those who study the above with a direct desire to go into the Film industry as a technical assistant, or those who want to teach or study media as a more advance area, then they are perfect for them. Those who simply rock up to UCAS day at school and casually mention that they watch TV so it can be easy for them to study media, are making a mockery of our education system.

The University system needs to be culled like the rights of people within the British Isles. What's wrong with getting into plumbing, metalwork, automotive repair, even electronic repairs. It would be a two pronged attack: Getting the Uni's less crowded and more respected and also training young Brits to potentially start a franchise, get some skills and provide a fantastic service to their local community.

The younger generations of Britain can be great, so show some faith in them and give them a kick up the backside!