I hope those of you who think college is like prison are kidding?
Imagine being locked in an austere cement building for YEARS. Your "friends" are those who haven't yet beaten you up, molested you, or lied to guards to get you in trouble. Imagine having to ask permission for every single thing you do. Imagine not even getting privacy to poop; you're sitting on the toilet at the back of your open cell, for everyone to see. No socializing, no leaving for a night of clubbing, no meeting the opposite sex, no spending all day online, no sleeping in, no choosing what you eat, no nothing. When you leave prison, you get only the clothes you walked in with plus a jail record that will follow you forever. Good luck getting an apartment or a job with a felony on your record.
People need to be thankful for what they have.
In many parts of the world, you wouldn't get even a full high school education. Or, if there are colleges, there is no money to attend them. If you really want to feel creativity stifled, try living in total poverty with no education.