A short guide to hearing with intent
In any interpersonal setting, and especially in an educational setting, there are few things more important than earnestly and actively listening to the people you engage yourself with. So often we have something pressing to say – as brashly or as tactful as we can muster up – and, sometimes, we just like the sounds of our own voice, especially at this age.
Can you imagine what little would get done if we spoke over each other all the time? I’ve always felt that the sanctity of active listening is underappreciated and can really enrich one’s education and life. Education, relationships, work, and friendships – all of these things require a distinct and earnest level of understanding and empathy to work in a truly productive way.
I could be really flighty and say something along the lines of, “You can hear the music in everything.” Granted the sentiment has its truths – but ideas speak loudly. In collaborating with others and implementing their ideas, new ideas can speak even louder.
As an English literature student, I can’t say much about what students in sciences, business, or engineering even do in class- let alone how to change one’s experience with these programs for the better. But, in my line of thinking, practice, and learning, I’ve felt that actively listening to yourself, paying attention to your program’s overall intellectual culture, and listening to your classmates with intent – not strictly your instructor or TA – is crucial to extending your knowledge past a classroom setting.
First years: if you haven’t encountered it yet, there will be times where it’s all on you. Your instructor can become just a mediator to your own work and ideas, and you need to flourish as an independent thinker. Later years: I’m sure you know what I mean by now. The key to flourishing as an individual is through finely tuning your abilities to empathize and collaborate with the ideas of others. The first step in doing this is to pay attention to concepts, understand their intricacies, and relay this information with others of like minds (or otherwise).
We’re all here to learn, work, and be the best that we can be. But, we can’t do it alone. How truly collaborative your education is may not make itself obvious immediately, but the results of listening with intent will certainly show in where your education progresses.