I have spent the majority of my life thus far with “student” as my primary status in society. School has been my priority from September through June for as long as I can remember and it feels weird to know that after I graduate in May that will not be true for the years to come. When contemplating the education structure of the United States I am immediately reminded of the frustration I have regarding the constant focus of reaching standards and getting good grades rather than gaining usable knowledge about life and the world around us. Over the last three or so years I have gradually become more and more aware that the most important thing I should be learning in college is how to learn. I think it’s really crucial to be curious about the world and be able to hunt down answers to your questions outside of a university setting. In order to be valuable to employers we need to be able to teach ourselves to a certain extent and demonstrate that we are resourceful.
It seems that the current education structure is too focused on teaching a high volume of content rather than making sure students are actually absorbing what they are receiving in the classroom and know how to apply those skills to the real world. Although I see this as a shortcoming of the education system of the past several years it has forced me to become a more independent learner and rely on myself to hone my learning skills, which will help prepare me for life after graduation. Despite being able to overcome this educational downfall I'm sure there are plenty of students who aren't aware of this and are missing out on a key component of the learning process. Regardless, I feel extremely lucky to have the opportunity to experience college when so many do not.
Have a good week,
Amanda
It’s important to always rely on yourself and to be an independent learner. In our fast moving world one cannot afford to become complacent.
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