thedewsperspective

It’s Only 5 Years

“It’s only 5 years. I can do that.”

Me and his assigned One on One Aide were astonished by the words uttered out the mouth of this student. And simultaneously we said, “only five years”!

This morning during our homeroom class, we found ourselves engaged in a conversation about the perils of growing up in inner city America. The avoidable, yet easily trappable lows of street culture. A culture so often glamorized to young impressionable youth. Leading them to foolishly surmise that “it’s only 5 years. I can do that.”

As if it’s part of the game. An award of sorts. For being in the streets. Doing what street life entails.

“It’s only 5 years. I can do that.”

Immediately I whipped my calculator out. To help put into perspective what five years actually amount to. Because I think some of our young people hear “5 years” without realizing the true magnitude of the number.

Five years multiplied by 365 equals 1,825 days. One thousand eight hundred twenty-five days would be 43,800 hours.

Just to give perspective. I did a quick AI Google Search to determine what someone could potentially accomplish in that amount of time.

It suggested that one could master multiple domains (learn to fluently read 3 languages, earn a Ph.D, read 250 books, become an expert musician), build generational wealth & enterprise, and achieve peak human biometrics. Shid, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station could circle the Earth approximately 28,338 times in 5 years.

I’m disheartened to know that some of our youth look at doing five years in prison as a walk in the park. Something so casual. Sadly that’s not a totally new phenomenon. I can recall as a child hearing people say, “I’ll do 5 years standing on my head.” To which I thought was the slickest dumbest shit I had ever heard.

After doing the math, you know what I told the young man?

In approximately 41% of that time, he could also graduate high school.

Now let’s weigh the experience and relevance of the two: prison or school. I’d like to believe that the latter would be a far more beneficial choice. Not just for the youth. But also for their family and community as a whole.

We need to start really putting “5 years” into its proper context.

It’s true that time is flying. And waits for no man.

But I think I’d prefer to spend it applying myself academically, being celebrated for scholarly accomplishments, going on trips, high school dances and proms. Rather than boofing shanks and cellphones.

“It’s only 5 years.” Yes, true. And you probably “can do it.”

But why would you want to?

When you could do something else far greater with that same amount of time. 5 years, 1,825 days.