Oh, the Things You’ll Learn!

I want to start writing for The Confident Undergrad by sharing a fundamental part of my perspective on college:

College is a remarkable opportunity for learning of all kinds.

When we talk about going to college – and I typically use the term generally to include four-year and two-year, public and private, big and small, research and teaching institutions -- we tend to be transactional, focusing on the tangible product, the degree. And of course! At least in the United States, we (often) spend huge amounts of money (much of it borrowed) and several years of our lives to earn the credentials we need to be eligible for many of the job opportunities that are available. We reasonably ask, then, why make such an investment if not to get the reward?

But I want to encourage you to think a bit more broadly and take a wider view of learning in college. There is so much more to the experience than taking the classes, learning the course material, and getting the grades required to receive your diploma. My point here is not simply that you need to have fun to balance the work of school – although I think you do, absolutely – but rather that there are opportunities to learn in the college environment – in and out of the classroom – that are essential to your personal and professional development. Importantly – for better or worse – they are not necessarily measured by your GPA or your degree.

If you’re not buying this -- you can’t quite grasp the idea that college happens outside of the classroom -- then consider what happens in the classroom beyond the subject offered and the grade you get. There’s so much to get out of your classes – and lots of professors know this and design their courses accordingly -- like how to listen and reduce complex material to key points, how to review material and take notes, how to ask questions, how to work with others, how to get help when you need it, and how to manage difficult personalities and disappointment. Most of us take for granted these elements of learning – or we think they’re not important – but we shouldn’t, and they are. These are skill that are essential in most relationships, including personal ones, and will be meaningful for you throughout your life. Long after you forget what the subject of your classes were or what grades you got, you’ll be using these and other skills in all aspects of your life.

And then there’s outside the classroom! I mean, where to start? College may be the first time you’re living away from home, which means a lot of things, most generally that every day you’ll be making decisions for yourself. However often you’re in touch with your family, you’ll still be doing loads of things on your own that you may not have done before. You will learn so much about yourself – some things you love, other things maybe not so much. You will do a lot of things right (and by that, I mean, right for you, whatever that is) and you’ll do a lot of things wrong (again, whatever that is for you). The process of getting to know who you are during this time can be exhilarating and terrifying at the same time! If you feel this way, you’ll be in the excellent company of most of the people around you.

More specifically, you’re likely to live with people you don’t know. Ack! Honestly, this may be the most challenging and important part of college, learning to coexist in close quarters on a daily basis with strangers. Expect there to be issues! People bug each other, it’s life. But learning how to address the conflicts that arise – with the help of experts, if you need them (like dorm staff and other folks on campus) – is a skill set that will be invaluable to you forever in your personal and professional life.

You’ll make friends, which often takes some initiative and agency. It can be hard and a bit disorienting at first. It can also be freeing, having the opportunity to think about who you are and create the person you want to be in this new period of your life. You may end up friends with your roommate (or you may not) or meet someone in class, or at orientation, or by attending dorm events or parties, joining social or professional campus clubs, studying in the library or in a campus coffee shop, by interning, working, or volunteering on or off campus. There are lots of ways to find other people who share your interests, values, priorities, but it does take skills that we spend our lives honing. It’s not easy to be vulnerable, to make introductions and open yourself up to rejection, to keep trying. It’s also not easy to learn how to set boundaries for yourself and limit who can be part of your circle. There are experts on campus who are available to support you through difficult times, and you should absolutely use them when you need them. It’s all about learning and college is a great space to practice these skills that will serve you as you continue to meet new people and develop new and varied relationships throughout your life.

I could go on! And I will in other posts. For now, let me just remind you that there’s so much learning to do in college. It will be very easy – and understandable – to get wrapped around classes, studying, and grades; academics are core to your college responsibilities, and you will need to attend to your work. But it’s appropriate – necessary – to create some perspective, to know that you what you’re learning in college exceeds your major, your grades, and your diploma. YOU are MORE than your course of study, and you owe it to yourself to let yourself learn as much as you can in all the parts of your life.

When you need another reminder, just let me know!

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