It's that time of year again! For many of you It's time to go back to school and learn. This can be an exciting time and a anxious one. You get to see old friends and make new ones, take part in extra curricular activities and have new experiences. You also have homework, projects and tests. This can be hard, nerve-wracking and stressful but it's also an opportunity to grow.
Knowledge is amazing! It can help you to understand the world around you better and it can help you understand yourself. Knowledge is a true treasure that we are so fortunate to have!
I was that one kid in class that really loved to learn. I wasn't always the best student with the perfect grades but I always tried my best to learn. For instance, I didn't love math but I loved understanding how it all worked. It felt like an accomplishment for me.
I loved science, history and English. Everything seemed to connect beautifully. I loved learning about history, oceanology, creative writing and culture. I was obsessed with Ancient Egypt, China, the Ocean, Volcanoes, Great White Sharks, Mexican culture and traditions, the Titanic, Martial Arts, legends of Mermaids and Vampires, WWII, the Civil War era, the 1920s, and fictional stories. To be honest, this has not changed but rather extended with some additional obsessions.
In my classes, there would always be that one student or group of students who would ask the teacher/professor, "why do I need to know this? I'm never going to use any of this." And in some ways I found that to be reasonable. You are probably not going to talk about the Enlightenment at a job interview. You won't repeat that the "Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell," to impress a date. You won't turn in a book report about The Great Gatsby and it's portrayal of the American Dream when doing your taxes. And you probably won't even remember calculus. And that is okay! It doesn't seem like there is practical value in education but there is!
1. Survival
Think about all the knowledge you have right now and ask yourself how it has blessed your life. How has science helped you? For example, a scientific understanding of plants could help you to know the basics of how to take care of a plant or how biology can help you to take care of your body. Understanding science can help us to make sense of our world and to survive within it. How does time work? How do the seasons change? Why do we need the sun?These questions have helped to advance agriculture. Why do the tides changes? How does this affect the fish? These questions have helped us to have more prosperous fishing techniques. Why do we have a nervous system? What does it mean if my lips turn blue? What does it mean if I feel pain in my chest? What does it mean if my left arm hurts? Why does my body go through so many changes? I don't know about you but a basic knowledge of science has helped me in many medical situations (my family and I are very clumsy).
2. Change
History has taught us that even if we seem unimportant, we can make a great impact with our ideas, talents, deeds and contributions. Think about Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo DiVinci, Plato, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, Harriet Tubman and Alice Paul. These people changed the world for the better. We can too, even if we feel as though we have little influence. We also learned what it takes to make a difference. Nothing can be gained without hard work, passion, putting yourself out there and having some optimism.
3. Analytical Reasoning
Math has taught us how to quantify, calculate and make something out of nothing. None of the everyday items we use are possible without math. How does one simply create a budget, make dinner, grocery shop or do something more complex such as building a home, without even the smallest use of math? Math is everywhere and within everything. It's in music, art, dance, engineering, accounting, life skills etc. Math is a skill! Whether we like it or not.
4. Critical Thinking
English teaches us how to eloquently articulate ourselves and most importantly to think critically. These are great life skills! Life decisions involve critical thinking rather than following what is popular or easy. Critical thinking involves analysis, objectivity, problem solving skills and being open minded to all the possibilities. Think about a future job, voting, books/movies, culture, science, religion, societal expectations, etc. These are just a few topics you could use your critical thinking skills on. When you use these skills, it allows you to make decisions with the best information, rational and unbiased judgement as well as to build up your own values, beliefs and interests.
Conclusion
Knowledge is a true gift! Everything we learn has practical value. It can be difficult to see but it is gift! How lucky we are to live in a time where we have the resources at our finger tips to continue our education in many forms. For those of you going back to school this month or next month, look at it as an opportunity to grow yourself and your mind. Today is an opportunity to learn! Today is an opportunity to grow!