EXCELLENT QUESTION.
I was amazed at how much colleges have changed from my day to my kids. (Technology, food service, activities to name just a few.) It was as if I lived in a third world nation compared to what is offered today.
These other posts are correct. Education is one of the few things we pay good money for and then try and get as little as possible in return.
Something that I noticed happened in my Junior year. A Psychology class. The instructor (Probably a TA) was trying the well-worn line of questioning, "Is it acceptable to kill one person to spare many?" This was before Spock's death in the Star Trek movie.
After "discussing" the issue with the students for most of the class period the instructor got ticked off and more or less said that we had to agree with his ideas or risk getting the answer wrong on a test. What I learned was to remember what the instructor wants to hear, regurgitate it back on the test and then go on with my life and my principles.
Here is something else to consider, the ones who get the best grades are not always the smartest students. Those like Cheesey and Dhazer that go back to school later in life seem to understand what kind of effort it takes to succeed and are willing to make the effort. Follow their example.
It is way too easy to have a good time in school. It is much harder to have a responsible time.
The speed at which the courses go is stunning at first. Some of the classes are designed to weed out students.
Some of the instructors (even full professors) are horrible. It is hard to know who is a good instructor in your 1st semester. But before you sign up for subsequent classes ASK your friends who they had for a class. It makes a huge difference sometimes.
Finally one of the best jobs to have is to work the late night sift at the front desk at our dorm. It is a great time to do your homework without interruption. No one comes to the desk to bother you. And you get paid for it.