Learning doesn’t stop in the classroom
“Never let school get in the way of your education.” That expression, in one form or another, is unfortunate because the truth behind it is undeniable. We grow up being taught that an education is important – that we must work hard to obtain good grades to get into a good school, get a useful degree, and then establish ourselves in a good career. The problem with this ideal, true as some may wish it to be, is that there are too many “goods,” and not enough of the many other adjectives that can be used to describe the quality of one’s life.
I can’t stress enough that I am not against university or higher education. If I was, I wouldn’t be writing this in my beloved university’s student newspaper. But the sad reality is that I was pressed even to write this article, as I am currently juggling two major papers, a final project, discussion posts, exam reviews, and an end-of-term assignment. And that, folks, is just my post-midterm homework agenda. It excludes any part-time work, family phone calls, gym excursions, preparing healthy foods/grocery shopping, keeping in touch with friends, boyfriend time, staying organized, personal hygiene, volunteering (such as for this paper), and the occasional hour of sleep.
What really strikes me as ironic are the mixed messages society loves to send. “Take care of your body,” “those 8 hours are worth it,” and “make sure you leave time for yourself.” I see these headlines all the time – especially in ironic places, such as Student Health Services or the cyber magazine Student Health 101. That’s all well and dandy, and I appreciate the concern, but to be honest, I was ecstatic that I had time to pee before class this morning, let alone get a solid eight hours of sleep. And if someone could please inform my professors that I’m avoiding their optional readings not because I’m lazy or hate their class, but because I’m already behind by three chapters in my other two courses, I would really appreciate it.
All sarcasm aside, I do think the strenuous expectations placed upon university students are intruding on the actual benefits that can be reaped from attending a post-secondary institution. When I reflect on all I have experienced in my four years at Guelph thus far, the most valuable and progressive lessons have rarely involved the library or lecture hall. For example, living in residence not only allowed me to make new friends from a wider array of personalities than was ever available in high school, but it also presented the opportunity to experience novel social activities that led to a happier, more confident me. Raising a service puppy required serious patience and learning when to ask for help. Volunteering at the Donkey Sanctuary was an enjoyable opportunity to make connections and help others, while learning at the same time. It’s pretty hard to find that in just a bricks-and-mortar classroom.
Insert cliché here: the world is our classroom. Yes, there are appropriate lessons to be learned academically, for understanding and use in your future career. But, assessing how much I’ve learned by looking at two digits on a transcript is not only foolish, it’s inaccurate. Living away from home while studying in a field I absolutely love has taught me so much more than a university course ever could. I’ve made connections through campus clubs, gained skills through hands-on events, and reiterated the importance of family in my frequent Skype calls home. I’ve learned how to conduct an ANOVA test, and also how to budget for utilities and love the gym (and I feel better for it!). I even fell in love because one night I decided I was deserving of going out.
They always tell us, “school is important, make sure you get an education.” They’re absolutely right – just not in the way they intended. You will leave university with a wealth of knowledge and experience far surpassing that of your entrance. Yet statistics or English or mechanics won’t be the reason – they are but a mere slice of the educational pizza. The real learning comes from the hours spent outside the classroom. Or within it – depending on how you define your learning environment. All I can say is, the bigger, the better.