It’s a standardized practice throughout most of the world to have some sort of formal education to set a foundation for our future. However, the “foundation” of primary and secondary education has been frequently questioned in recent years, from debates over Common Core to reevaluating how to best help students transition into college. While the actual education itself plays a large role fostering student success, education is more than just what’s in the textbooks.
Every classroom has its own set of rules and expectations to help students develop a standard of what is proper behavior. These rules maintain order while silently shaping what students' real world attitudes; however, many of these rules can potentially have an effect on your success in college.
Rule 1: Raising your hand.
It was the first rule you learned on the first day of school, and it’s the unspoken rule of every classroom. It’s used as a way to show respect for the speaker and maintain an orderly discussion, and it works pretty effectively... until the hand gets ignored and your voice just can’t break through.
There are times where we just need to say it, and we can’t wait around for others to give us permission so we can speak our mind. Words will go much further than holding back your thoughts because it’s more polite.
Rule 2: Coloring inside of the lines.
It was all about staying inside the lines, and the number of lines in life only grew. Lines for shapes and letters, specific lines for writing, understanding the lines on a map, writing lines in an essay and waiting in lines for lunch. Throughout schooling, it is taught to stick to these arbitrary confinements.
Then comes the time to break out of the lines, but where to next?
When it comes to the college world, the answer is everywhere, and that can be overwhelming -- especially because college is the first scoop of freedom on life’s ice cream sundae. There are a lot of ways one can go, but what’s most important is being comfortable enough to move around in any direction.
Rule 3: Memorizing versus manipulation.
Knowing the name of the main character’s dog proved that you read the book. You had to memorize all of the chemical ions and the location of every country in Asia... cool. You’re a human encyclopedia, but what are you going to do with all of that information.
Thus far in college, it’s all about learning the basics while figuring out how the apply and manipulate it more holistically. Knowledge is power, but power only means something when you use it. Manipulating what we learn is how theories are derived and from there you'll find endless possibilities.
Rule 4: Trying to do everything.
Are these the most rigorous classes I can take? Can I squeeze this one club in? In high school, there was a general push to give it your all and then some more, emphasizing well-roundedness to be “the student that colleges want,” because somehow, going to a better college meant you were guaranteed better job prospects.
So you do a lot (more than is physically possible), and you can’t help but wonder if you actually enjoy whatever you’re doing.
From a personal standpoint, stress became a part of my wardrobe, and I forgot how to say “no.” In college, I forced myself to relearn that no is ok! There’s a point where doing everything accomplishes nothing, and stress becomes worthless in the end. It also becomes harder to appreciate life when you can't even take 5 minutes to take it all in.
There’s a time and place for all of these lessons and like our favorite childhood toys, there are some things that we just need to let go of to move forward in college.
