Book Learnin'

Now that school has started for most everybody that is a student or teacher, I want to post something in the spirit of higher education. I dont know for a fact, but I believe that a significant portion of new college students enter with at least some doubt as to what their major should be. I think I even read somewhere that the majority of students in colleges/universities change their major at least once. I'm included in that stat. I started as a biology major and eventually graduated with a major in "Applied Ecology" which is essentially a double major of bio & environmental science. But before I decided on THAT major, I took classes in every discipline besides fine arts, foreign language, and engineering. I fulfilled my foreign language in high school so I didnt need it and it only took 2 weeks for me to know that I did NOT have a gift for engineering.

I often try to recommend to anyone in college or going to college that they take classes in every discipline that they can. I think this is the only TRUE way to find out where your passion is. And believe me, when you've found it, you KNOW it. Some are lucky to find it right away. I believe they are the exception to the rule. I would have NEVER guessed that I would have a passion for environmental science. I thought I was medicine-bound. But I HATED learning all of that crap. I didnt enjoy ANY of it and bio classes DOMINATED my life all through college. And after a while, I realized that I really didnt actually WANT a career in medicine or biology anyway. That said, I urge people to NOT stick to a discipline simply because thats what your mommy wants you to do. It can be CATASTROPHIC to your ability to map out your future in a manner that is fulfilling. This is FACT.

So, let me give a special shout out to the people who went to college and had the foresight (and sometimes courage) to figure out who they ARE rather than letting someone else decide who they were SUPPOSED to be. To any college students or prospective college students that may stumble onto this, take advantage of the wealth of educational opportunity granted to you while you're in school. It will NOT be so easy to come by when you leave.

Text Questions: What advice would you give to prospective college students? Do any of you still have your old textbooks around? What class did you take that you never thought would mean anything but has wound up being influential in your life so far?