On a night when you’re out past 9:00 PM after a game or rehearsal, swamped with four assignments due the next day, it can be easy to think: why am I doing this? How in the world is this homework really going to have a positive impact on my future life? This dilemma does have some truth to it; we are not likely to all pursue careers in which we need to be able to find derivatives, or recite the exact date of historical revolutions. But what we gain from our classes is far deeper than the surface applications, as every single thing we learn is broadening our appreciation for the world and expanding our opportunities.
Take writing, for example. While most careers will not require people to construct perfectly formatted analysis essays, being able to express ideas with written precision is a key skill for communication in any job. And being able to manipulate speech appropriately is not just useful in the workplace, as relationships, friendships and general tasks also operate much more effectively when people can communicate and be understood. We may not always appreciate this reality, but the various forms of writing that we do in school, across classes, set us up for success in such a wide variety of areas in our lives.
Not only that, but these abundant practical uses are certainly not the only benefit of learning. The magic happens when we choose to appreciate education not just as a tool for college or career life, but as a way to seek nuance in how we interact with the world around us. Science, for example, is the very building blocks of how our world works, and it is the compilation of the experimentation and understanding of people spanning centuries. Is it not incredible that we are able to tap into this vast expanse of knowledge through classroom learning?
However, don’t let this overshadow the professional benefits of strong education. As well as broadening your horizons, anything you learn in school could absolutely end up coming in handy in a future career. Even students who feel certain they know what they want to do after high school may end up being surprised, as there are almost certainly jobs that could be great fits for them that they do not yet even know exist. The idea that we know exactly what skills we are going to need in life by age 18 is, quite frankly, ridiculous. There is a reason many colleges don’t require students to declare their majors until after their first or even second year, as exploration through learning is the best way to discover passions we never would have imagined finding within ourselves.
Lamenting losing free time in order to complete homework is understandable, but it is immensely sad when this expands to students opposing learning itself. In third grade, I came home from school convinced I didn’t like science, only to discover that I was simply not engaging with the worksheet-based experiments we did in class. When I began researching science based on my own interests, such as marine life and anatomy, I discovered that I actually had a store of enthusiasm for the subject just waiting to be applied. Being able to enjoy learning, even the more tedious parts, all comes down to mindset. We can appreciate school tasks by applying the same curiosity and interest that we apply to our hobbies or extracurricular activities. Instead of making school about checking off assignments or earning certain grades, it is ideal to see it as an opportunity to open our minds to new information and reshape our understanding of the world. This is easier said than done, but we are lucky to have teachers at Seabury who are passionate about what they teach. Do not be afraid to ask questions and seek ways to expand lesson material tailored to whatever piques your own interest–this is how we take advantage of our school’s resources to their fullest.
I do not reject the notion that school, with its assignments and deadlines, can at times be overwhelming. But I wish to push back on the idea that education can ever be a chore. Cultivating passion for learning absolutely starts within ourselves, and it is the foundation for a meaningful life lived with truly open eyes.
