School... Is it really for learning? by Jessica

School... Is it really for learning? by Jessica - August 2022 Scholarship Essay

Ever since I can remember, my teachers would begin each school year with a one-page sheet in which I was to list my goals for the school year. And ever since I can remember, I have filled out that sheet with the goal of obtaining straight A's for the year. For many years I achieved that goal and for a few it was within reach before that pesky math subject reared its evil head. But nevertheless, now, going into my second year of college, I want to aim for something bigger. I could set the goal of having straight A’s for this school year and if I stayed focused, worked really hard (and avoided all math), I know that I could achieve it. But I want something more for myself this year. I know that my education has to be something more. I want to truly learn something.
I know what you’re thinking… hopefully you’ve learned something all these years, right? Well yes, I certainly hope that after my 14 years of schooling so far, I’ve gained a few IQ points, understand the geography of the world just a little bit better, and hopefully, I’ve got my alphabet down by now. But this year I want to truly understand the world just a little bit better. Looking back, I’ve always taken school as more of a task. Study for one test, forget everything I just studied, and then move on to the next. It’s become a cycle of flashcards, textbook highlighting, and then, taking a test. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to think about what I was learning or if I’ve ever even taken the time to enjoy what I was learning. So if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I want to be able to explore my passions. As a pre-law student, I want to be able to take classes that challenge me. I want to be able to understand the implications of war with other countries. I want to be able to understand the different influences that affect policymaking. I want to understand what goes into creating a law and why we live the way we do. I want to learn.
And again, you might say, “How on earth do you plan on measuring this goal… of ‘learning’”? Well, to be honest, I don’t exactly know. But what I do know, is that by the end of the year, If I have explored the world just a lit bit deeper, I will have been successful. If I have ventured out of the traditional core subjects to understand my passions, I will have been successful. If I have quit worrying about grades or a GPA to truly love what I am learning and walk away feeling as if I have opened my eyes to a different perspective or worldview, I will have been successful in my goal.