I study Art History at the University of Washington, a school known for its medical and engineering programs. The most frequently asked question amongst my friends and first acquaintances at school is, “Oh…Art History. What are you planning to do with that major?”

Located in Seattle, Washington, my university is amongst the top picks for employers such as Microsoft or Amazon. When a student is known to be a Computer Science Engineering major, he or she is always praised for glory. The rest of us? Not as much.

Innovation and technology are the trends of the West Coast. And thanks to the fellow engineering students, our daily lives are more convenient and efficient than ever was in human history. Engineers are smart people; in fact, I choose to attend the university precisely for its science dominated population.

While hoping to receive a Liberal Arts education after finishing prep-school on the East Coast, I was prompt to be exposed to a different demographic, people who prefer logical thinking and the scientific approach. They are the ones contributing to the betterment of the society, well, the practical parts at least. However, after a year of academic endeavors in the U, I was disappointed to find that most students here value skills over knowledge. Academic inquiries are overrated, and the student body is vastly engaged in finding a job to sustain future livings.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to secure a good paycheck after graduating. I do also work part-time to reach the far-fetching goal of financial independence. Yet, a university is supposed to be the palace of knowledge, an environment that invokes intellectual understanding with the freedom to pursue scholarly curiosities.

The mentality amongst most students in my school is, however, as follows: To receive an education that provides sufficient training for the job market and to secure a diploma that demonstrates individual competitiveness in the market.

Again, one primary motive for attending college is to avoid the potential of working at a minimal-wage job with the inability to pay rent. But such does not justify undermining the values of studying humanities.

Arts is, as stated by novelist E.M. Forster, “Something as mysterious and capricious as the creative impulse has to be released before they can act.”

While not everyone holds an interest in learning about the works of Michelangelo or cares to explore Pablo Picasso, respect for classical education in a tech-savvy environment should be much appreciated.

History allows us to reflect on our actions, literature teaches us devises to convey our feelings, and music and art enable us to express creativity with the most primitive senses. Engineering also requires creativity; it is the essence of innovation and change. But how does one create for life when lacking the incentive to appreciate it?

The next time you meet an Arts student on campus, ask him or her how to spot beauty in life; you might find yourself entering a new journey of enlightenment.