In college, many people have different point of views of what college is to them. They have their own ideas of the college experience and they expect different things for what college does to them. College is like a labyrinth, it will confuse you and make you struggle, but when you overcome the maze, you will find your own treasure.
Not Sidney, in NOT SIDNEY POITIER by Percival Everett, goes through his own unique college experience. Not Sidney brings up the discussion of dropping out with his professor, Percival Everett, and he wants to hear the different views of the college experience that he is missing out and why he should stay. Everett brings up one of the many views of the college experience by mentioning, “You can remain in school for the sex” (165). Everett also talks about another when he asks, “Don’t you want a degree?”. Not is unappeased with both and brings up a college experience he has in mind, “What about an education?” (166). Not has an inclination to believe that the college experience is about receiving an education, while Everett sees it as an avenue for having sex and obtaining a degree.
Despite all the different views of the college experience, Not was able to find and receive his own view. Not told Everett that “I thought you’d try to talk me into staying”, but to Not’s surprise, Everett did not (Everett 166). Everett says almost the opposite, “I believe in higher education, but you’ll find your way” (Everett 167). Not wanted to see that if college was one of the mazes in the labyrinth was worth exploring further, but to the both of them, they knew that Not already obtained his treasure, getting to know what you want. Not does not want a typical college experience of sex, a degree, and an education. Despite all these options to choose from, Not would rather drop out and now he is that much closer in finding what he wants, by finding what he does not want.
in Lost in a Labyrinth, is an example of how a piece of college helped her learn how to complete her maze. Corrine mentions that she faces obstacles, of getting side tracked, during her writing process and that in order to escape the labyrinth, she follows a single strand of thought, like how Theseus followed a strand laid out by Ariadne, to lead her out. However, Corrine states that there are also other avenues of reaching her goal that she has not found, in which she compares to as climbing over the walls. Corrine’s adventure, in her labyrinth in college, gave her experience to help her tackle future mazes more efficiently.
Corrine and Not experienced their own version of college, but they both got something from it. Corrine struggled against her maze of getting sidetracked, and it led her to a treasure of education in finding other avenues of improvement. Not was confused by college and what he wanted from it. This was Not’s obstacle and when he overcame it and realized he did not want college or the experience of it at all, he got his treasure of finding himself and knowing what he does and does not want. Corrine and Not went through different mazes, and they both received a treasure.