“Man I promise, she’s so self conscious
She has no idea what she’s doing in college
That major that she majored in don’t make no money
But she won’t drop out, her parents will look at her funny”
—“All Falls Down” by Kanye West
Why do people decide to go to college? Is it now a necessity in order to be successful and achieve one’s dreams? No doubt, I’m all for education, but decades ago, people could obtain their high school diplomas and fair well in the job market if academics was just not their strong suit. Now, landing a good paying job without a college degree or a vocational trade would be considered an anomaly unless a person is starting his or her own business. As a result, there are an increasing amount of people who either recently graduated from high school or who have been laid off from their jobs enrolling in college when they are not necessarily academically prepared making it an uphill battle. Of course, it is possible for people with determination to overcome their academic shortcomings in math and English and any other courses that may present hurdles. However, how many of them actually go the extra mile to jump those hurdles or even know what they need to do while in college? How many know what they want to do after college or what it takes to be successful after completing college?
We have officially reached the halfway point at my college, and some students sadly do not take their college careers seriously and may be there simply because their parents made them or just because they don’t know how to be good students (focused, no procrastinating and organized, etc.). I genuinely care about all of my students and hope they will one day attain their goals, but this revelation about some students not being as invested in the learning process or the end result is nothing new. It is the way it was when I was a college student too. Nevertheless, this got me thinking about the first verse of Kanye West’s song “All Falls Down” from his freshmen album.
Going to college and sometimes working and having a family can be overwhelming and stressful to say the least. That is why it is essential to plan accordingly so that it does not “all fall down,” or “when it all falls down” you are prepared to pick up the pieces and start again. If you “have no idea what your doing in college,” take some time to figure it out. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I’ve always had an affinity towards English and literature, so that was my major in undergrad. Even though I’ve always been a diligent and hardworking student, I later learned that the “major I majored in don’t make no money.” If only I had done the extensive research, I would have alleviated some stress and anxiety about landing my “dream” job. Through my experience, I came to realize that money is not everything and that I am glad that I selected a major that allows me to teach and be immersed in a subject I am passionate about: English!
Please feel free to share your thoughts.
~Anonomz aka Tanya H. Franklin
Bonus English Lesson:
Kanye West uses a double negative which is common in slang and hip-hop dialect to stress his point and also utilizes the non-standard verb choice for third person plural not third person singular. This method also minimizes the syllables for the rhythm of the line.
“That major she majored in don’t make no money.” (Twelve Syllables)
The standard English version would be, “That major she majored in doesn’t make any money.” (Fourteen Syllables)
“Hey Mama” by Kanye West
Journey of Anonomz 