First, let me introduce myself. My name is Beth, and I am a junior at a private university in Pennsylvania. In eight days, I will be boarding a plane bound for England, where I will be studying English literature (my major) at New College, Oxford University for a semester. During the four months that I'm there, I hope to seek a more simple life of studying and reflecting on what I've learned.
Here in the states, I struggle with academic complacency. Honestly, I've struggled with this feeling since high school. I used to have such a passion for what I was learning, be it science, cultural studies, or literature (but never math!) but when I got into high school, I lost a lot of my momentum. "Burnt out" isn't quite the phrase to describe how I began to feel, but as I looked around at my classmates, I noticed that none of them really cared to be in school. None of them craved a true education, the opportunity to branch out and simply learn. Life has a lot to offer, and I've always admired teachers and professors who are able to capture students' interests and bring them together to learn something. But my peers didn't want to learn. They wanted to do their duty and attend school simply to get a grade. I had hoped that college would be my relief from this growing feeling of complacency that I found myself battling, but my hopes were dashed. Although I love my professors, and although many of them have taught me valuable lessons, I again looked around and found that my classmates often didn't really want to learn.
It must be tough to be a professor and realize that your students don't want to be in a university classroom. One day, when I'm in their position, I hope to more fully appreciate all of the work that they do in order to provide ample opportunities for students to learn. Even now, I apologize for how poorly I've applied myself to my studies thus far. To me, Oxford is a retreat into academics, a place to explore why I've become so apathetic about my classes, as well as a place to become reinvigorated. When I return from Oxford, I hope to be more connected to and invested in what I am learning, regardless of the subject.
The truth of the matter is that no matter what your major is, students, every class applies in the "real world." You can always find a purpose for any given subject, even if you find the subject boring. Don't look at school as a preparation for the "real world"; school is the real world, and if you can't see the value in obtaining a degree for any other purpose than to make more money, perhaps you should re-evaluate why in the world you're in college to begin with. Furthermore, a liberal arts university is not going to make you any happier if you can't find value in what you're learning.
Maybe I'll be able to rediscover my passion for academics while I'm in Oxford. I have high hopes for the skill set that I'll have the opportunity to acquire while I am there, and I can only hope that I don't fall prey to complacency and apathy while I'm in the midst of my studies. Here's to the future, which can only be prosperous by learning from the past.
In the timeless words of Cicero, "Nescire autem quid ante quam natus sis acciderit, id est semper esse puerum." To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child.
It must be tough to be a professor and realize that your students don't want to be in a university classroom. One day, when I'm in their position, I hope to more fully appreciate all of the work that they do in order to provide ample opportunities for students to learn. Even now, I apologize for how poorly I've applied myself to my studies thus far. To me, Oxford is a retreat into academics, a place to explore why I've become so apathetic about my classes, as well as a place to become reinvigorated. When I return from Oxford, I hope to be more connected to and invested in what I am learning, regardless of the subject.
The truth of the matter is that no matter what your major is, students, every class applies in the "real world." You can always find a purpose for any given subject, even if you find the subject boring. Don't look at school as a preparation for the "real world"; school is the real world, and if you can't see the value in obtaining a degree for any other purpose than to make more money, perhaps you should re-evaluate why in the world you're in college to begin with. Furthermore, a liberal arts university is not going to make you any happier if you can't find value in what you're learning.
Maybe I'll be able to rediscover my passion for academics while I'm in Oxford. I have high hopes for the skill set that I'll have the opportunity to acquire while I am there, and I can only hope that I don't fall prey to complacency and apathy while I'm in the midst of my studies. Here's to the future, which can only be prosperous by learning from the past.
In the timeless words of Cicero, "Nescire autem quid ante quam natus sis acciderit, id est semper esse puerum." To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child.
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