DR. WALLACE: All my girlfriends dream and are always telling me about their dreams. They say they dream about me things and they enjoyed their experiences.
I have never dreamed anything that I can remember in the mornings, and I fear I'm losing out in not having these neat experiences by not being able to dream at all. I've asked a lot of people about dreams and they all say they have them and remember them. Is there some way I can learn to dream? —NOT A DREAMCATCHER, San Diego, CA.
NOT: Everyone dreams, even you. In your case, you don't remember the content of your dreams therefore you think you don't dream at all. Human dreams last up to two hours, and most people have two to four such experiences a night. My advice is not to worry about it for now, and it's likely that at some point in the future, when you least expect it, you will one day remember one of your dreams. In the meantime, make plans and dreams for your life during your waking hours, and strive to reach those valuable dreams you desire to achieve for yourself.
THERE ARE NO LEMONS
DR. WALLACE: I'm a high school senior and I plan to attend a college or university when I graduate, but I don't know what school I want to attend. I don't even know what major I would like to shoot for and I'm not sure yet what field I want to work in when I eventually do graduate. It's all very confusing. I talked with my high school counselor and she said that it was up to me to make a choice. What should I do? I don't want the school I end up at to turn out to be a lemon. — Confused, via email
CONFUSED: Selecting a school that meets your needs is a huge challenge. Making the best choice will take time and lots of family discussion. But you should at least be aware that this process is not anything like purchasing a car: In higher education, there are no lemons! Still, you want to find one that scores high marks in the areas that you determine are important to you.
Here are a few of the more important questions you should ask yourself: Do I want to attend a state-supported school or a private school? (Private schools are more expensive.). Do I want to attend school near home or one that is far away — and if so, how far away? Do I plan to have outside funding (student loans, grants, scholarships) to help defray the cost? Or will I have to work while I go to college to make ends meet? Will I be more comfortable attending a small liberal arts college or a large state university?
These are just a few of the questions you and your parents must think about. Once you narrow your choices down to three or four schools, trying to visit all the campuses while they are in session. This will help you to make a good decision.
Also, don't overlook attending a community college for the first two years of your college education. Besides providing an excellent program, they are much less expensive and your classes there can be transferred as credits towards your ultimate degree at a four-year college. Just be sure to check with your school and your counselors to be sure you select classes that are eligible for transfer credits towards the degree you seek. I hope this helps to give you some topics to think about and I wish you every success in your educational journey.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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