After I graduated from high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I initially chose to go to university as a kind of buffer between high school and the real world. What I ended up getting out of it was an edifying life-changing experience. Here’s why I’m glad I went to university, and why you should consider going to university too…
Learn what your interests/strengths are. I’m sure everyone has a general idea, but at university you will be exposed to ideas that never before crossed your mind, and subjects that you never knew existed. You will get to try your hand at a number of different disciplines too. If you already have a specific career goal, chances are good that university will help you in achieving that goal; if you are like me in First Year and have no idea where your life is going, university will give you the chance to explore a vast array of options – and set you up with the tools you need for whichever option you choose!
Pursue a curiosity. If you love to learn, when and where will you ever have a better chance than at university? I’ve had professors (and fellow upper-level students) who specialize in the most obscure and off-the-wall subjects. Maybe it was a childhood fixation, but it has become a professional pursuit. Only in the world of academia can a person spend so much time simply indulging in their love of knowledge. Spend some time studying in the Humanities and you’ll see what I mean.
Learn more about yourself. What is your passion? What are you good at? How do you view the world, and will that view change with time? What is the minimum amount of sleep you require in order to function as a normal human being? Are you the same person you were in high school? What does it mean to you to have a fulfilling life? I hope all of these questions feature prominently in your university career, as they have in mine.
University can be a big investment, and a big decision to make. But it could be the best decision you ever make. In my four years at university I have had the chance to research obscure topics, present papers at conferences, teach in an elementary school class (Education 2500), run for student government, work for the school newspaper, and write this blog!
Unfortunately, this will be my last blog post, at least for the year. Thank you for reading all this time, and I hope to see you in the halls of our U! It may just be your new home away from home!
‘Til next time,
James
