To a degree..........

A typical post graduate conversation:

Me = "So, what degree did you get when you finished university?"
Someone = "I got a First, only just though hahaha. Yes, a 2:1 is what I wanted and I got it, woop! What did you get?"
Me = "Oh, well I got a 2:2.......
Someone =".....Oh.......I see....."
Me = "......Yeah. But, hey, I had a great time, got drunk alot, and had fun, so........"
Someone = "......Yes, well at least you had a good time...." (walks away)

Believe it or not, this kind of situation happens to me all the time. Over the course of exchanging pleasantries, the person I'm talking to will develop the same disapproving, and slightly judgemental tone, and all because I mentioned a slightly lower grade then theirs.
Ok, so maybe I'm over analysing a relatively simple conversation. I mean, they're probably not acting that way at all, and they're probably just doing that thing that we all do in standard exchanges; nod and smile. And, there really is nothing wrong with taking a serious study approach in order to achieve the grades you want, and need to better your future career. There's just something about the way they react towards the end of the conversation that gets me thinking, does the grade really matter?
Surely, when one attends university, aside from obviously studying, the key is to build upon your character, and place in society. So, as you expand your knowledge, you also expand your confidence in life, and therefore expand your friends list on Facebook.
During my time at uni, do you know what I spent most of my student loan on? Yeah, that's right; cds, dvds, clothes, food, nights out and alcohol, and I had a blast! All of these luxuries provided me with hours of fun, but I also developed my awareness and appreciation of a large variety of music and film, and through it made a whole host of new friends, and continue to do so. Before I went to university I was shy, naive, and uneducated in many ways. After the choices I made over the three years, I am now a more confident individual who is often more open minded, and experienced in certain areas of life.
So, I may not have the skills and qualifications down on paper, or the 'great post graduate employment', but I hold the social skills and experience which allows me to meet more and more interesting people on a daily basis, and talk to them in a non-judgemental way. And although I may spend alot of my time these days being poor, and staying in watching movies, judging television shows and listening to music, I'm happy. That's what uni was really all about.
You won't learn any of that from a text book!