Thoughts by William

Thoughts by William - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

How do we think? What can we think? What should we think? In my eyes, there’s nothing more universal than thinking—which is why I wish philosophy was a core high school class. Philosophy addresses some of the most comprehensive questions known to man; however, in the same way that many people turn away from math or English classes, many people fail to see the real-world applications of philosophy. The key to embracing philosophy—and math and English—is that it’s really just about adopting a big-picture-mentality.
A big-picture-mentality can help us with our daily lives. At the Central Virginia Governor's School for Science and Technology, where I’m a student, the saying is that we attract the “best and the brightest in the region.” While this is true, I’ve observed an issue often inherent to the "best and the brightest." I witness students—even myself at times—get too caught up in the meticulousness of coursework, stressing about taking thorough notes, studying for the next test, and being perfect at everything. Instead of devoting ourselves to doing everything just right, I believe it’s more important to balance what makes us happy and what will be most beneficial to our future selves. We should always keep in mind that while an indulged life lacks fulfillment, a life only spent working to support its future ultimately neglects its present self.
A big-picture-mentality enables us to enact big-picture-change. With a knowledgeable, thoughtful, holistic perspective, we can determine what should be done to better ourselves and our world. After all, our society progresses by improving upon everything that can be improved.
Thoughts will determine the flavor of countless actions that I and others will inevitably take as time surges forward. As there is no better place to cultivate your own independent thoughts than college, I am eager to dive headfirst into a learning community that promotes this philosophy. For the next few years, my life will be rooted in one word: thoughts.