Why The Universities are Still Relevant
No, not because of the piece of paper called “Degree”,
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle”.
Does it sound familiar? Yes, you guessed it right. It was said by Steve Jobs in his Stanford commencement address.
He was a college dropout then why I am quoting him in this article which talks about why the University education is still of importance. Isn’t it contrasting? No, it is not. Allow me to explain.
Jobs asserted that to do great work, you got to find what you love to do.
The earlier it happens, the better it is. Jobs was fortunate that it occurred very early on in his life. Jobs grew up close to Silicon Valley. That’s what heavily influenced his interest in electronics. He acquainted Woz and stumbled upon a group of computer geeks called “Homebrew Computer Club”. All these experiences convinced him to start Apple. The similar would hold for Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and so on….
Alas, for most people it is not that straightforward and takes time to figure out what they desire in their life. I am one of them. I grew up in a place where people were content with their lives and didn’t have ambitions. I was clueless and couldn’t recognize what I would do in my life. For us, it requires numerous trials and errors to realize what we want.
Interests and thinking of individuals are shaped by a lot of factors such as the environment they grow in, people they spend time with, circumstances, etc.
That’s where Universities play an important role. Universities act as a platform to provide opportunities to build one’s perspective, inculcate new habits, and equip oneself with ample resources to attempt different things. You can meet people whom you will adore, get guidance, and learn a lot from them.
However lately, it is being talked a lot about how ridiculous it is to attend universities in the era of e-learning. Every course is available online for free which renders the teaching at the university worthless. The problem with these inadequate conclusions is that they fail to communicate the entire picture.
To prove that going to universities is futile, often founders who are running startups without a university degree, are cited as an example. If it is so then how come a lot of academicians are opening startups based on the outcomes of their research. Would they have ever done it without going to the universities?
We all know that Google began as a research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were both Ph.D. students at Stanford.
Surely, the idea of university-based learning might sound absurd to people who are already ascertained of what they yearn for but what about those who aren’t? How to identify?
Through this article, I have illustrated how university education helped me discover that.
I have got two degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s). I won’t deny that the coursework which I completed as a part of the degree, isn’t of much use in the real world. Yet when I look back and analyze the outcomes of all those years, I can say that it was worth it.
Before entering university, there were apprehensions in my mind that only scientists do research, not ordinary humans like me. But then, I took on several research projects and understood, oh, research is not what I thought it was. Research is about solving problems that will bring benefits to society. It’s all about curiosity. University also paved the way for me to work abroad and acquire global exposure.
In the same fashion, I didn’t know anything about startups. But in the university, students would discuss startups which drove me toward them. I started reading about startups and did internships with several startups. Combining my research experience and working with startups, it is clear to me now that I want to venture into the world of scientific research-based startups.
I got the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing people from a variety of professions such as entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators, who loved their work to the fullest. These people instilled habits in me which I put into my work and help me succeed. I have written a separate article on this one.
In addition to the above, I pursued other activities as well. In my college, seniors used to conduct practice sessions on acting. I used to be a part of them which developed a strong fascination towards movies and acting in me. Due to it, I also got inclined towards reading novels which had a tremendous effect on me. It made me a better storyteller and got me into writing as well. I learned to play basketball.
I could get exposure to so many things I wouldn’t have got otherwise.
Of course, there are other means of doing all these things, but universities consolidate all the opportunities on a single platform. There are other benefits as well as drawbacks and Sayeed Ibrahim Ahmed has covered some of them in the below article. These aspects also need to be considered whether it would be appropriate to join the university or not.
Final Remarks
Don’t be carried away by all the negative hype created surrounding universities. University has played a constructive role in defining my career. In case of you, decide what works best to realize what you want to do ultimately in life. If you have found it, congrats, and if not, consider going to a university that might bring immense benefits to your career. Whatever you do, keep looking and don’t settle.
