Why You Shouldn't Be So Worried About Your Education
Learning new information is good
In fact, it is one of those things that can never go wrong… until you stop learning.
Information is everywhere. It is on Facebook and Reddit, learnt in school and from parents. There is a non-stop stream of information.
Whether or not the information is relevant or true, it is always important. It is what forms personality, it teaches how to absorb information, and what to information to absorb. The more inspired to learn, the more learning that will happen.
Why everyone should stop worrying and start learning
Over-planning is a recipe for failure
Planning every detail of every course is impossible. You might fail a course, you might fail a few, and even if university is no problem, how will you get a job? The other person applying may have the same GPA. In that circumstance, it will be difficult to stand out without additional experience. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to plan, but obsessing ends up wasting time that could have been spent on learning new skills that will help you stand out.
Subjects can be applied to other subjects
There are certainly jobs that require specific knowledge in only one area of expertise, but there is always information applicable to other areas. In sociology, the courses may consist of writing, economics, and math. If you change your mind and decide to major in communications, there is already a background of knowledge that will support this new course. Not only will processing information become easier (due to experience in similar fields) but you will be learning how to learn.
Learning how to learn
When a course seems unhelpful and difficult, it is important to remember that the content is not the point of the course, but the hurdle to overcome. Learning new, difficult information is uncomfortable, but once able to overcome it, you are teaching yourself how to learn. With time, it will become easier to learn new things. This is why people are able to learn multiple languages — once you get past the first few learning hurdles, the rest come easy.
Learning can be outside of school
School is not the only place to learn. I spent a year working in a foreign language and I learnt a lot. To pick up on slang quickly, I started doing ‘word of the week’ where I used a new word as much as possible. I learnt about their habits, culture, and politics. I ended up working harder than I ever did in university. Do not underestimate the power of conversations, meeting new people, travel, reading, writing, and the uncomfortable feeling of a challenge.
Make connections with things you like
Learning is not always fun, but convincing yourself it is fun can help with motivation. Try to make as many connections as possible between the things you are learning and the things that interest you. Connections are key. As Barbara Oakley explains, there are really only 4 spots in the prefrontal cortex. These spots fill up fast if learning information separately, but, when making connections, the information will take up only one spot, therefore freeing the mind to learn other things.
In the end, whether you get a degree or not, it is important to continue being interested in learning and curious about the world. The moment you stop caring about learning, is the moment you start sounding like a grouchy old grandpa who is stuck in the past. Now go read a book and stop stressing.
