Skipping class to start partying earlier, squeaking by with minimal effort for a passing class grade, Facebooking the full hour and 15 minutes of class. Oh the college life, right?

Unfortunately for many college students, not just at UD, but nationwide, that is true. With social life being such a priority, the true value and worth of education gets left in the dust. While being with friends is a necessity, having the opportunity to receive an education is a blessing that shouldn't be wasted.

For Vera Crowl, education was the one thing that took her out of a life of alcohol and drug abuse and gave her something to live for other than her next fix. Education means something different to everyone, but regardless of the meaning, it is a gift to be able to work toward future success to achieve your goals.

In the U.S., there are many who are not fortunate enough to graduate high school. For some it is the lack of financial means, for others it is a lack of parental support. Either way, those who can't graduate are much less likely to find a job and means to survive in the future. Studying at UD is a blessing.

When looking at third world countries around the world, skipping a class for the pleasure of sleeping in or going to the mall is unheard of. Yes, students may skip class, but for them it's more often than not because the student or family member is sick with disease. And that skipped class would almost never be a college course. In third world countries, making it to an education level of high school would require money, which is hard to come by for many.

While those who never make it to elementary school, high school or college may be less educated than those of us fortunate to study at UD, they have most of us beat in one aspect. Just like Vera Crowl found every day in school a blessing, those not fortunate enough to attend school would never let a hard test or a 20-page paper keep them from valuing the blessing of education.