Until college, I was never really someone who enjoyed school. The work always seemed tedious to me, and I was always uninspired by the subject matter. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even get into my college of choice until I applied as a transfer.
Surprisingly, when I got to college I began to notice how much I was liking school. I remember thinking, “Why do I enjoy going to class?”
As time passed, and I got to know my peers, I would constantly hear them complain about how much they hated college compared to high school. Hearing this made my sudden interest and enjoyment in school even more confusing.
I began to take mental notes on the differences between myself and students who seemed to be affected by college in the opposite way. Over time, I realized the biggest difference between us was the passion I had for what I was studying.
Most, if not all, of the students who complained about college hadn’t declared a major and didn’t have the slightest idea of what they were passionate about, or what they wanted to pursue. Therefore, aside from the academic intensity, college was extremely repetitive to them after having gone to high school.
In high school, all of these students had the ultimate goal of going to college, which was what motivated them to do well. Upon arriving at college and having no idea what they wanted to pursue for their future, they no longer held a sense of motivation for school. I mean, in reality, what was the point?
I use the example of high school to college because the passion I held for my studies throughout college is the reason I finally decided that grad school would be the best next step for my future.
I have decided to go to grad school because I know exactly what I want for my future. It’s what I’m passionate about! Therefore, I know exactly what I’m going to get out of grad school, and I know the ways in which it will positively affect my goals.
I believe that if students viewed going to college as an undergraduate, similar to the way most people view going back to college as a grad student, they would enjoy their learning experience much more.
Working hard can get you somewhere; you just need to know where you want to go.
