The idea of being a student for the entirety of one’s life is quite a daunting thought. However, that completely depends on how you look at it.
In high school, you probably sat in your english class saying, “this is the exact same material I’ve been taught since fifth grade— what’s the point?” In addition to that, when was the last time you used the pythagorean theorem? If I’m honest, I’m right there with you. I wanted nothing more while in high school than to be in college, studying exactly what I want. Then the reality of general education courses hits and they only feel like glorified high school classes.
After having gone to school for over 12 years before even reaching college, one hears plenty of negative feelings expressed toward being a student. Words that quickly come to mind along with "student" are loans, debt, and sleep deprivation. When I step back to gain some perspective, I see that this is one of the saddest correlations I know of. The negative feelings toward being a student tend to drag down the love for learning with it for far too many people, ultimately stealing such a beautiful thing as a passion for learning and bettering ourselves with the accumulation of knowledge.
One of the greatest gifts we have in America is the means and ability to be life-long students. Whether it pertains to our field of study, our profession, or it’s simply expanding the scape of our knowledge for personal gain, learning doesn’t have to cost you any more than your own curiosity and the will to act on it. The internet is at our finger tips 24 hours of the day, and while people have mixed views on the uses and integration of technology in our generation, it is often the quickest and most accessible way to learn about something new.
In any regard, it begins with a question. This idea was realized when I was walking through downtown Pasadena one day with a couple friends and one of them seemed to know a little something about everything— every building, brand, etc. that we passed by. The other two of us were genuinely amazed by his wealth of knowledge, and in response to our inquiry of it, he simply said “you just have to keep asking questions.” This is a brilliant example of somebody who has held onto the love for learning, and people like him are few and far between.
Furthermore, this is my call to action: ask questions about anything that even slightly captures your attention, pursue answers, and enjoy how the world begins to look as you do so. Strive to be a lifetime student; a student of the world around you.
“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” ~ Proverbs 23:12 NIV
