There are so many things in this world that seem to keep me completely bewildered.

I don’t know if it is due to a bit of ignorance on my part, but I think that most of the time, the source of the confusion comes from the world itself.

Some examples: We have a group of people called the legislature, who are responsible for creating the laws which our country should follow.

But for some reason, they split up into two teams, and beat each other into the ground. (Simple view, I know.)

There is a television network called MTV, also known as Music Television. But they rarely play music anymore.

And then there’s the pinnacle of confusion, Grape Nuts cereal. No grapes, no nuts … what gives?

But something of certain importance has been puzzling me ever since I started going to college three years ago. General education.

It is the most frustrating, mind-boggling concept in the history of the modern world. And a complete waste of time.

Whenever I start complaining about this topic, people that are “in the know” tell me that the general education requirements give a student a well-rounded education, with the information staying with the person in the subconscious.

Yeah. Anything I have ever learned in a general education class did not go to my subconscious, but is currently lying dormant in my unconscious, like a dog that has been mercifully put to sleep.

I don’t see it necessary for a journalism major to have to take nine hours of science credit to graduate. As long as the splitting of atoms isn’t involved in the writing process, I think I will be fine.

If you ask me, there are areas of life that are far more vital to survival that aren’t covered in the general education area.

So let’s eliminate the existing program, and install two required classes. Introductory to Life and Advanced Life. Life 101 and 102, respectively.

I could have used classes like this. There were so many things in life that I was sheltered from.

So I get out into the “real world,” moving out of the dorms into an apartment, and my education started in a hurry.

Living with my parents for eighteen years, followed by two and a half “dorm” years, I never realized how expensive it was to live.

I had always eaten at home or at the dorms, so I was ignorant to how much food costs these days.

My first trip to the grocery store nearly gave me a heart attack.

I’ve also come to hate a rather innocent word in the English language … deposit. Deposits aren’t so innocent when you have to pay $95 for the phone, $500 for an apartment, another $75 or so for utilities.

Even when that’s divided between my roommates, it’s still a huge blow to my checkbook.

I used to laugh at classes in high school like Basic Foods or Parenting, thinking they were just blow-off classes to take your senior year.

In fact, I took Parenting, a class that I practically slept my way through.

Now that I am cooking for myself, that Basic Foods knowledge could’ve served me well.

Due to my lack of cooking skills, the best pasta that Chef Boyardee has to offer has been frequenting my microwave since I moved out of the dorms last January.

If a class could be taught here at ISU, exposing the realities of life to naive college students, then people might be better prepared for the pitfalls and hardships that life can throw at you.

Of course, you could CLEP out.

You would have to show your knowledge of the cost of things, and cook a three-course meal for four.

Seems fair, doesn’t it? Then you would be done with your general ed. courses and you could concentrate on your field of study.

This idea seems rather logical. But life doesn’t always follow logic (e.g., Hootie and the Blowfish’s popularity).

So while we have to take 30+ credits in general studies, we’ll continue to hear people say, “Yeah, I’m a senior … fifth year.”

Christopher Clair is a senior in journalism mass communication from Waukon.