Thursday, March 5, 2015

It's Different as an Agriculture Student

I was recently having a conversation with my friends Laura and Mallarie about how myself, and many of our college of ag friends have a common problem.  We simply don't feel enthralled about being in college. 

Laura said it best.  "We aren't coming to college to 'find ourselves'.  Most of us already know what we want and what it's going to take.  Most courses don't address what we need them to anyway."

While college is great, and for a many good jobs, it is necessary, there are drawbacks.  I feel like a lot of agriculture students know this pain well. 

Every season, we can find something we would rather be doing than school, and that tends to fill our weekends.  We also tend to disappear from campus every weekend possible. 

Lets go through the semesters as they tie to what we would "rather be doing."

Fall semester.


 


Almost Winter Break (Finals).

For some, this is when they do some of their grain hauling.

Spring Semester.
This is when there is typically a lot of grain being moved.  Property of Siemer Milling.



Depending on your farm, the spring activities tend to vary.  They vary greatly.  We have to haul manure, but some of my friends use the time to work ground.



These little guys tend to happen throughout the year, but my roommate is currently helping with calving at the Purdue Research Farm.


Almost Summer Break (Finals).
And we finally get to finals... Let's be honest, we are all FAR more interested in planting.  I won't even pretend to deny it.  
 
Disclaimer - I know some of you don't do things quite as I listed.  We haul manure in multiple seasons, for example.  I just listed for general, ideal purposes.

We struggle with the day-to-day monotony of sitting in a class that often won't ever be used in our real life.  It's easy to understand.  Our mind and heart are at home.  When you sink your heart into something, you never actually leave.  This is why there is the old mantra that, "Farming is a career where you clock in at age five and never clock out."  I didn't clock in until I was 16, but my heart, never actually leaves.  
 
It's a lifetime love that's inescapable.   Do you connect to this seasonal distraction? I want to hear about it!

You can follow along on my social media sites, and send any of your questions to 
lifeofafuturefarmer@yahoo.com