College opens life experiences

   Welcome to the new semester, the start of a college career for some and the end for others.
    Whether a student plans to stop at a two-year degree or continue toward a four-year or post-graduate degree, one thing is certain: that student knows the value of education.
    Upward mobility is one of America's greatest attributes. Anyone can lift themselves from poverty with a small investment in his own education, in his future.
    If you are reading this, you have taken the first step toward ensuring that future.
    Remember in the coming year that although you may find your classes boring at times, every lecture you attend and every bit of knowledge you absorb move you one step closer to realizing your goals.
    Everybody desires some form of material security, a warm cushion of cash to fall back on if the economy or job market fails.
    No one can take away a degree; it will stay with you throughout your lifetime no matter what your circumstances.
    Your house may burn down, your spouse may leave you, but as long as you have your degree, you have a solid foundation to rebuild upon.
    An associate degree opens numerous doors in the business world and a bachelor' s opens even more. Jobs abound, and they are there for the most qualified.
    Starting at TCC is another step in the right direction.
    TCC offers a quality education at an affordable price.
    TCC students can choose from a variety of university-parallel academic programs with courses that easily transfer to a four-year college. Or area workers can gain extra knowledge or skills for their jobs.
    Students are not alone on their quest for a degree.
    The TCC faculty is here to help you advance along the path toward whatever end you have in mind.
    All TCC teachers have excellent qualifications and will gladly answer any questions you may have about their subject.
    Ask, inquire, fill your mind to overflowing with new knowledge; it can only help.
    In this Information Age, knowledge is power.
    Technology continues to distance us from harsh physical labors, making effortless tasks that took years. All that is required is the power, the knowledge to use the mechanical marvels of our time.
    Walking to somewhere as close as Houston takes weeks, but with a car and the knowledge to use it, the trip would take only a few short hours. Students used to labor over calculations, but with the knowledge of how to operate a calculator, hours of mindless drudgery are reduced to a few short taps on electronic keys.
    As time passes, some students may gain dependents, a family who rely on them to provide the material comforts they need. A degree then helps the people around that student have a better quality of life.
    Learn, grow, get your degree, and you and your family will thrive.