What is the purpose of it all?
Do you really believe that your university education will somehow lead to making the world a better place?
Since Terry* is essentially a UBC domain (see url), I thought I’d talk a little bit about being a student on this too-large-for-ten-minutes-in-between-classes campus. This topic has been on my mind for a while – and I think every unversity student should ask (and answer!) at least a couple of times a year the question: why are we here?
Not a particularly original question by any means and we’ve all got the standard answers. Job security (really? then why do we hear about the wasteland that is the job market after graduation?); parents (that’s one of mine, and likely yours too if you’re Asian); attainment of exerience and knowledge (the vague one that never sounds as convincing as job security); and so on and so forth.
Largely because I really couldn’t answer that question, I came perilously close to dropping out my first year. Not because of grades necessarily but because I simply couldn’t get used to the impersonal atmosphere -plus I think I had something in my genes that repelled higher education. You hear about the breakdowns, burn-outs, and/or bankruptcies of fellow students all the time. If you’re a student, some part of you likely think that the risk is worth it. And if you frequent Terry*, you most likely also think that university education will lead to a better understanding of the world as a whole. Maybe you even think it will help you “contribute to society” and make it better (be it through fine arts, humanities, or science).
But let’s face it, the majority of us are learning the very practical skill of working complaints about assignments into everyday conversation, or taking notes while half asleep. We all know about the knowledge-that-shall-never-be-used and the days when getting to bed by 11 feels like a giant accomplishment. While there are a lot of us who join clubs and associations related to global issues, I don’t know of too many students that use the old “education as ammunition for changing the world” motivation to get through the days.
So when you learn about the major scientific breakthrough of x decade, or the war in x country, or the philsophy behind x doctrine, maybe it would be good to ask if it’s relatable to who you want to be and what you want to do. For me, it’s a question worth repeating: will university education somehow lead to a better world? Or better yet, do you intend it to?
One Response to “What is the purpose of it all?”
I strongly agree, I think the question “why are we here?”, “will university education somehow lead to a better world?” are essential for what we are currently doing here and what we will get out of our time at UBC. I have asked myself that very same question, and thought about a lot too. However, I have come to look at the answer differently.
I believe that what we will ultimately gain from our univerity experience is almost entirely up to oneself. What we will have done, what we will have accoplished, is really up to oneself. This even applies to “the knowledge-that-shall-never-be-used”. I agree, some courses may seem practically useless in your field of studying, or intended major, and maybe it is. But the point is to focus your energy on what really is going to matter for you in then end.
UBC is such a hub for connections and information sources in any field of study, opportunities for volunteering, event planning, and work experience, a place for clubs to offer meaningful insight in their area of interest, engaging workshops, and many other opportunities. UBC is an excellent window of opportunity for whatever you choose to do. It is all in your hands to use it for your own pursuits and goals, for your area of studying/interest.
In the end, you just gotta be smart! UBC, like many other universities offer something that you cannot access or be part of if you do not attend secondary eduction. So it is your own task, responsibility to make the most out of it, and don’t just get stuck behind a desk studying something you feel is “less” meaningful/interesting.