Co-op

vs.

The Classroom

There is nothing I love more than money. Sure, my family and friends are important, but what can you do without mucho dinero? Like the song says, “For the love of money/ People will steal from their mother/ For the love of money/People will rob their own brother.”

It’s not that serious for me, but thankfully I am on co-op and not in classes. Currently, I am experiencing the true Northeastern experience, the reason I chose to further my education here. The reason I decided to go into debt. Most importantly, I’m making money!

Sure, classes bring a wealth of knowledge, new friends and new experiences. Who can forget the late night study sessions in the library? Or should they be called social sessions? It seems that once finals come around people tend to come to the library to do a little more than study. You see people who have been missing in action for consecutive quarters. Then, there are those who have distanced themselves from the clique they once associated themselves with. Instead of studying it becomes a night of countless reunions and meaningless conversations (excuse me for going off on a tangent).

Being on co-op allows you to spend a little extra money that you have on things you don’t need. And who hasn’t vowed to clean up their messy credit card debit while on co-op? Only to watch six months fly by and realize you are still in the same situation you started off in.

This is why I propose that Northeastern start a Co-op Rehabilitation Center. This center will consist of ways to survive once a student has completed a six month stint at a job in their field. One class will be finance and it will be entitled, “How to live on peanuts after rolling in dough.” Another class will be based on getting back in the daily grind of classes, “How to cope with doing homework again,” and the last class I propose that is most important is “How to convince yourself this class is needed after working in the real world.”

I believe all of these classes are essential to the Northeastern community. Making the transition from co-op to classes can really take a toll on a student, especially if you are someone who is active on campus and often gets themselves involved in extracurricular activity.

There are pros and cons from both positions. No one likes waking up at 7 a.m. just to get on the T where strangers are getting whiffs of your deodorant because they are invading your personal space. Who wants to wear heels and skirts on a daily basis in the unbearable heat? It is so much easier to wake up in the morning when you know you’re getting paid for it, rather than to wake up at the same time just to … learn. I am by no means demeaning the “college” experience, but when you’ve been going to school for 16 years, you start to think how much more can you really learn? I believe college is much deeper than classes and studying, it is about growing as a person and learning about yourself (sorry, another tangent).

So if you or someone you know is in search of an outlet to help you get back on your feet, please call 617-373-COOP. (Just kidding!)