Get a chemistry degree, I decided--that's great! I'll know all about the smallest bits of matter, how they compose the world, and their unique properties and such.
Well, now let's add an education degree to that. Then I'll be able to teach high schoolers all about how the world works and inspire them to be great scientists. Or at least to appreciate different disciplines.
But I need to be more hire-able as a teacher! I'll teach biology too! Nevermind, too many gross squishy things. Physics? Yawn. Geology? Yay, rocks... That rules out an integrated science degree. So what's next? I've always enjoyed writing...?
Proceed to add an English minor.
Is this enough? Never. I need to continue to be involved in music, so I'll play in the orchestra! Elected to be on the orchestra council? Sure! I can do that too!
I love and am passionate about all of these things, but sometimes it seems like information is being thrown at me from every direction and I can't quite keep it all straight. After a full day of classes, what I can recall goes something like: "The partition coefficient, K, is essentially same thing as an equilibrium constant. It is found by--" "looking at the comedic elements of Tartuffe. I'm sure you all can think of modern correlations of these elements. Think of cartoon characters--" "which find many of their influences from the minstrel stage. When listening to popular music you must consider what kinds of influence--" "the matrix has on your analysis."
So yes, I'm learning to be well-rounded, but at a cost. I'm simultaneously learning to be a reader, a writer, a teacher, a scientist, an informed citizen. I'm frantically running from scribbling down equations, to figuring out how to play 'cloudy' so the second flute solo can be heard, to trying to make sense of Plato, to writing the world's worst sonnet (though not intentionally). The perks of being well-rounded are great:
You begin to appreciate that people all have different aptitudes--which is a very good thing. There are many, many jobs I couldn't do and many professions I would rather not go into. But that just makes me appreciate the people who are passionate about those things. Moreover, through a little bit of education in said subjects that I detest, I have metaphorically "walked a mile in someone else's shoes;" I appreciate not only the parts of the jobs that they love but also the parts that they (at best) put up with.
A well-rounded education develops creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. I expected to come to college and be stretched as a person, but only in certain areas. I expected to grow in problem solving skills, how to teach a class, and how to make friends. I never expected to have to ponder alternative fuel sources, find rest and meditation through swimming, or be really deeply troubled by the problem of evil in a world ruled by a wholly good God. But being pushed to my limits has allowed me to grow personally and in ways of thought and reason.
You have a better view of how the world on the whole works. You can observe things more easily and feel things more deeply. A good, well-rounded education gives you more to be human with.
There are quite a few more perks, but for reasons of space I won't go on listing them. However, there are some drawbacks too:
It is pretty darn hard to prioritize. If I operate under the assumption that all of these classes and things I'm learning are equally valuable but I don't have the time to give them all equal attention, how do I decide what things to spend my time with? It becomes some funny balance of what's due soonest, what's most important for the purpose of teaching someday, and what's going to bring me at least some amount of joy in studying it.
Taking the time to be well-rounded means you've spent less time specializing in whatever you ultimately want to go into. This may be a drawback when it comes time to get hired somewhere.
Sometimes you lose focus of what's really important. And not school important, like bigger importance. Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to learn as much as I can about every subject I'm presented with that I forget about putting forth effort in maintaining relationships .
They say knowledge is power! Basically, becoming a knowledgeable, well-rounded person is hard work. Its rewards are great, but it also comes at a cost. Though in the end, I wouldn't trade all I've learned, both in academia and out, for anything in the world.
So yes, I'm learning to be well-rounded, but at a cost. I'm simultaneously learning to be a reader, a writer, a teacher, a scientist, an informed citizen. I'm frantically running from scribbling down equations, to figuring out how to play 'cloudy' so the second flute solo can be heard, to trying to make sense of Plato, to writing the world's worst sonnet (though not intentionally). The perks of being well-rounded are great:
You begin to appreciate that people all have different aptitudes--which is a very good thing. There are many, many jobs I couldn't do and many professions I would rather not go into. But that just makes me appreciate the people who are passionate about those things. Moreover, through a little bit of education in said subjects that I detest, I have metaphorically "walked a mile in someone else's shoes;" I appreciate not only the parts of the jobs that they love but also the parts that they (at best) put up with.
A well-rounded education develops creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. I expected to come to college and be stretched as a person, but only in certain areas. I expected to grow in problem solving skills, how to teach a class, and how to make friends. I never expected to have to ponder alternative fuel sources, find rest and meditation through swimming, or be really deeply troubled by the problem of evil in a world ruled by a wholly good God. But being pushed to my limits has allowed me to grow personally and in ways of thought and reason.
You have a better view of how the world on the whole works. You can observe things more easily and feel things more deeply. A good, well-rounded education gives you more to be human with.
There are quite a few more perks, but for reasons of space I won't go on listing them. However, there are some drawbacks too:
It is pretty darn hard to prioritize. If I operate under the assumption that all of these classes and things I'm learning are equally valuable but I don't have the time to give them all equal attention, how do I decide what things to spend my time with? It becomes some funny balance of what's due soonest, what's most important for the purpose of teaching someday, and what's going to bring me at least some amount of joy in studying it.
Taking the time to be well-rounded means you've spent less time specializing in whatever you ultimately want to go into. This may be a drawback when it comes time to get hired somewhere.
Sometimes you lose focus of what's really important. And not school important, like bigger importance. Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to learn as much as I can about every subject I'm presented with that I forget about putting forth effort in maintaining relationships .
They say knowledge is power! Basically, becoming a knowledgeable, well-rounded person is hard work. Its rewards are great, but it also comes at a cost. Though in the end, I wouldn't trade all I've learned, both in academia and out, for anything in the world.
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