Ever since we had a sense of what was fun and what wasn't, we've had the chance to complain all we want to about school. For a variety of reasons, too. It doesn't matter if the school is a great institution, people always find a way to complain and always find something wrong with it. Which really doesn't make much sense for college students. I mean if you picked the school you're attending, then there must have been some superior reason that made you feel like this was the perfect place for you to spend four or more years enriching your life with knowledge and experience?
Unfortunately, so many students don't feel this way. Specifically, those attending a Liberal Arts college.They feel like everything that they're being taught or having to work on that isn't towards they're specific major or concentration is a waste of time. "It's so stupid", "This doesn't even matter." "Who even cares about this?" "This isn't important. How is this going to help me?" Common things said by a naive student. The problem here is that those who say these things don't have a clear understanding of what a Liberal Arts education means.
First off, a lot of people break down the phrase "Liberal Arts" and dissect the meanings. When they think of Arts the immediately decide they're isn't a strong focus on the sciences and upon hearing Liberal, some might think of the political views attached to that word. What's more than this though is that people who don't understand what a liberal arts education entails, and subsequently complain about it, all say that they're being forced to learn about subjects that aren't important, and they wish they didn't have to study them.
Here's a question: If you think it's all stupid, then why did you pick a Liberal Arts school in the first place? Surely, you knew when you committed that it wasn't a technical or vocational school? You had to have understood what you were signing up for? (Literally.) If you complain about this then be ashamed. You have the opportunity to expand your knowledge so greatly, yet you choose to think about how it might be irrelevant to what your potential career might be. So what if you're not majoring in philosophy, you get to study all the great works put forth by ancient and contemporary philosophers that challenge your values and make you see the world differently. That's why a Liberal Arts education is important. It is an enriching education, across a broad range of subjects and disciplines, that teaches people how to thinking critically, learn how to communicate to different groups of people in different situations, and develop strong interpersonal skills. So yes while you're not spending time in your three-hour chem lab, think about and appreciate the opportunity you are given to expand enrich your life with new perspectives, experiences and skills.
