Love of Learning

Posted by Laura

At my high school graduation, a very wise teacher gave all of the graduates advice for college. He said, "Don't let school get in the way of your education." I don't think I fully understood this advice until I actually started my college classes. It can be so easy to adopt the mindset of just reading through the syllabus and seeing only the requirements for that dream A grade, and then just going through the motions to get the work done. However, I am attending BYU to get a worthwhile education, and my classes present an incredible opportunity to learn and grow.

Having a sincere love of learning makes my classes so much more enjoyable. My homework is more meaningful when I find ways to apply what I've learned as opposed to just regurgitating a list of definitions from short-term memory. I absolutely love the feeling that comes when you can tell your roommate, as she is eating a potato, that it contains more nutrient-dense potassium than the banana your other roommate is eating. I love the feeling that comes when you can help your little brother with his chemistry homework. I love the joy that comes when you work so hard that you are able to celebrate by dancing to the midnight library music. I love the feeling that comes when you understand the tricky details of microorganisms enough to know that if you lick your hands after touching the door handle, the drinking fountain handle, or the toilet seat that you could get some nasty diseases. Those are the moments that make all of the time, hard work, and lack of sleep in college completely worth it.