How did these people get here?

I was in Geology class today, and I sat next to these two sorority-type girls. They kept talking about how they were, like, soooooo bored and how they never did any of the readings for the class. I thought to myself, "this is really quite sad, because the professor wrote the book. What he covers in class is IN THE BOOK. He doesn't cover almost anything else!" I was amazed that these people were able to get into UT at all (top ten percent rule must've applied). How can you survive in college with decent grades if you don't read? Plus, it's so interesting if you actually do read. It explains things better, it's a repetition of things already established either in class or previously, and it allows you to LEARN. Well, not so amazingly, people prefer to do what's easiest, and that's not read. As college students, our JOB is to learn. Our job is to sit and listen to smart people talk. That sure as hell beats flipping burgers or driving pizzas around. Even if it's work to read stuff, you acquire knowledge that otherwise you'd never be exposed to. I guess it comes from being an English major that I love to read (and write). Good luck to anyone who thinks they're getting their money's worth and doesn't put forth a minimal effort to learn. I mean, Geology wouldn't normally be my thing, and chemistry is about the worst subject I could want to remember (apart from *shudder* calculus) but at least Intro to Rocks is INTERESTING in its own way, and I remember the things I learned in 10th grade Chem. All you students out there! A degree is not important in itself. It is merely a SYMBOL of what you've learned. I could have my Ph.D. in English, but if I don't know squat about literature and can't write for beans, that little piece of paper is useless! That's the sad part about many students these days. They just want to get through school and get a job and make money. Their interest in a degree is merely instrumental. As I said, a degree is merely a symbol of the learning you've acquired. Unfortunately, many people forget that and try to get out of school as quickly as possible. Hell, I'd rather listen to smart people talk all my life and learn about all these different things rather than actually go and get a job somewhere. Learning is wonderful. DO IT! It'll change your life and improve your work ethic. Besides, cheaters are stupid, and lazy-butts as well. They're not interesting, b/c they can't think for themselves or show that they know stuff. And that, dear friends, is worse than being merely ignorant.