Trying to become educated

<p>When I started college last year, I thought it would be the first step in the direction of a sort of enlightenment which I had come to know as "education". A year in, I have learned that at many schools in this country, the academic environment is largely overshadowed by social opportunities,and even the academics themselves are largely exercises in mindless regurgitation. I know this is an abstract topic, but does anyone know any paths someone like me could take through these next few years of my life that would leave me feeling at least a little bit satisfied. I want to be challenged, I want to be made to think, I want to learn the nature of the human condition. College to this point has been a joke, I am dying for a change. Please, someone help me.</p>

<p>Join the military. I had one degree when I went in and 3 when I got out 10 years later. There are incredible education oppotunities in the military, and you meet incredibly devoted and intelligent people. Go to interesting places, take part in front-page news, and make more money than you'd think.</p>

<p>If college has been a joke, then point your fingers at yourself and the choices you've made. Even at lower tier colleges and party schools, serious students find ways of stretching themselves academically. They use professors' office hours to go more in depth into coursework. They do extra research when writing papers. They join academically-oriented clubs and spend time with others who are serious about getting an education.</p>

<p>Even at community colleges, there are students who are very serious about their academics.</p>

<p>Professors and your classmates will not drag you to stretch yourself academically. They will not force you to think. What you choose to do with the opportunity you have is in your hands.</p>

<p>i agree with northstarmom...unless you are incredible intelligent, whatever college you attend should have something that challenges you. I am at a CC and it is, unfortunately, not too challenging, but I'm taking the highest classes available and am petitioning the school to offer higher math courses until I transfer. </p>

<p>Sometimes it's easy to think of class as nothing more than getting the grade, but if you truly listen to what is being taught and study hard, you will learn quite a bit and become a well-rounded individual. If you're getting all A's or something already, well my hat's off to you. I guess you just need to take more challenging courses, then you'll start learning a thing or two - or fail.</p>

<p>Read books. Good books.</p>

<p>Every thing in life is a learning opportunity... you just have to open your mind... broaden your vision, and take a different perspective and you will soon find that there are infinity ways/things to learn... even from people you may deem as being "less than smart" in your definition. </p>

<p>As Northstarmom says, it's your fault for closing your mind.</p>

<p>JPArsenal87: come to know as "education". </p>

<p>Actually, it's:</p>

<p>come to know as "education."</p>

<p>You have much to learn, young Padawan. </p>

<p>I'm sorry. I'll stop. :)</p>

<p>are you kidding me? you just figured out now that 99% of people can go through school without learning a damn thing? all school is is doing your homework, memorizing a bunch of crap for a test, regurgitating that crap on a test, and bam instant A. the formula is the same for just about every school, every subject (atleast at the high school level)...</p>

<p>if you really want to learn the content you have to go outside the school game and take initiative... but why the hell would you do that if you're already getting A's. not many care about learning, just getting good grades. i blame this on the school system... but i'm sure i'm about to get flamed by everyone on CC for making this accusation</p>

<p>Shazilla, it really does depend on the school... I can see your point at a large university with auditorium classes, and overwhelmed professors because of over-admitted departments, etc. </p>

<p>However, if you attend a small sized school (I can attest to this, because I do attend a small sized school), you have to actually do work and produce results to get good grades, because a lot of the classes (at least in the business school) require presentations and participation. At my school there are 1,800 undergrad students and a student to faculty ratio of 11 to 1, so it's not really easy to hide from the professor... he/she knows your name, and actually becomes your buddy and shares his/her connections when it comes internship time--Yes, an internship is part of the required curriculum at the undergrad b-school I attend.</p>

<p>K, I'm rambling... but the point is, someplaces do require learning to get good grades... and the focus is more on contexts and concepts rather than just facts and definitions...although, facts and definitions are definately learned on the way to understanding concepts.</p>

<p>You want to learn about humans, how they think, how they act, and actually learn valuable information? </p>

<p>Get a job in sales! You learn TONS and I do mean it. Best of all, the information is actually real world knowledge that's useful. You'll work your way up purely depending on your own intelligence, ambition, and personality.
Make sure the type of store or department is something you like though, because if it isn't, you'll be bored.</p>

<p>^^I was told once, by a chemical engineer, that the smartest people in the world are sales people. He said it's because they know how to convince others to think how they think, and do it enough to make a lot of money. To do this, if you think about it, requires a whole heck of a lot of intelligence.</p>

<p>its always comforting to know that if you ever get into a massive flame war with TourGuide, you're merely a phone call away to his Special Forces buddies upon which you will be summarily hunt down and taken out...</p>

<p>(btw, big ups to our military forces around the world)</p>

<p>transfer to a less social, more serious school</p>

<p>Think hard for a second what it is that isn't furfilling about your current school and coursework. Are the classes really large or boring? It <em>might</em> be just because general education classes can be slightly unfulfilling the first year, but if what your major itself bores you than it's a good sign that you should get out ASAP and think about what really interests you.
Take a philosophy class and a physics class. They are the two subjects that arguably specialize the most in ideas, and if after taking both you don't feel intellectually stimulated there is something seriously wrong with your situation.
And finally, take time to go to the freshman orientation "Activity Fair" again where you can sign up for clubs that interest you, especially if you didn't go last year!, and talk to the students at the booths that interest you. Anyone standing around for hours to sign up complete strangers for their club has passion, which is definetely needed for the change you want to bring about to your college experience.</p>

<p>i agree with stargirl...your school should be furfilling.</p>

<p>:)</p>