--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: College ain't so much where you been as…" description: "\"College ain't so much where you been as how you talk when you get back.\" — Ossie Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ossie-davis-35994_college_college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as_2598698.jpg" --- # College ain't so much where you been as how you talk when… ![“College ain't so much where you been as how you talk when you get back.” quote by Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ossie-davis-35994_college_college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as_2598698.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ossie-davis-35994_college_college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as_2598698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ossie-davis-35994_college_college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as_2598698.jpg) > “College ain't so much where you been as how you talk when you get back.” [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. College experience is defined by how you communicate after returning, not just attendance. **In simple terms:** College is about how you talk when back. Key Takeaway Focus on communication skills. Themes education communication identity Mood reflective confident Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - job interviews - public speaking - networking Key Concepts sociology career development Questions to Reflect On - How does your speech reflect your education? - What stories do you share from college? A Different Perspective Academic credentials still matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ## Related quotes > [I just became a vegetable for three months. I couldn't talk to people. 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People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. So if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/you-have-unfortunately-a-k-12-educational-system-where-the/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [When it comes to college education, American families are paying more and getting less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schroeder/when-it-comes-to-college-education-american-families-are-paying-more/) [Patricia Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schroeder/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [If, by deferring or maybe even skipping college entirely, students were foregoing their one hope for immersion in Western civilization, there would indeed be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/if-by-deferring-or-maybe-even-skipping-college-entirely-students-were/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/if-you-want-to-get-laid-go-to-college-if-you-want-an-education-go-to/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## More by Ossie Davis > [Here - at this final hour, Harlem has come to bid farewell to one of its brightest hopes - extinguished now, and gone from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/here-at-this-final-hour-harlem-has-come-to-bid-farewell-to-one-of-its/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [Struggle is strengthening. Battling with evil gives us the power to battle evil even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/struggle-is-strengthening-battling-with-evil-gives-us-the-power-to/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [I find, in being black, a thing of beauty: a joy; a strength; a secret cup of gladness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/i-find-in-being-black-a-thing-of-beauty-a-joy-a-strength-a-secret-cup/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [There is no secret to a long marriage - it's hard work...It's serious business, and certainly not for cowards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/there-is-no-secret-to-a-long-marriage-it-s-hard-work-it-s-serious/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [“... Harlem was home; was where we belonged; where we knew and were known in return; where we felt most alive; where, if need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/harlem-was-home-was-where-we-belonged-where-we-knew-and-were-known-in/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [It was a lifetime occupation that kept us too busy to stop and ask if we were happy or not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/it-was-a-lifetime-occupation-that-kept-us-too-busy-to-stop-and-ask-if/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [One of the things I appreciate more was how important struggle was as the instrument that helped to keep us knit together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/one-of-the-things-i-appreciate-more-was-how-important-struggle-was-as/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [If we can reach in wih the art and touch the imagination of the child, no matter who, we have affected that child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/if-we-can-reach-in-wih-the-art-and-touch-the-imagination-of-the-child/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change. It can not only move us, it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/any-form-of-art-is-a-form-of-power-it-has-impact-it-can-affect-change/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [Any form of art is a form of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/any-form-of-art-is-a-form-of-power/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [It is necessary to stay on the march, to be on the journey, to work for peace wherever we are at all times, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/it-is-necessary-to-stay-on-the-march-to-be-on-the-journey-to-work-for/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [We can't float through life. We can't be incidental or accidental. We must fix our gaze on a guiding star as soon as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/we-can-t-float-through-life-we-can-t-be-incidental-or-accidental-we/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) [Explore all 13 Ossie Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "College ain't so much where you been as how you talk when you get back.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ossie Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as-how-you-talk-when-you-get-back/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "College" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as-how-you-talk-when-you-get-back/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ossie-davis-35994_college_college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as_2598698.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ossie-davis-35994_college_college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as_2598698.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ossie-davis-35994_college_college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as_2598698.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“College ain't so much where you been as how you talk when you get back.” — Ossie Davis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ossie Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "College ain't so much where you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as-how-you-talk-when-you-get-back/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/college-ain-t-so-much-where-you-been-as-how-you-talk-when-you-get-back/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```