When we think about getting an education, we think about what teachers tell us, and not what they ask us to do. And yet, we usually forget what teachers tell us, or what we memorise from books, almost immediately after hearing it or repeating it on an exam. It is what we do, however, while we are being educated that stays with us, the actions we take in and out of the classroom.
For this entry, think back on your educational experiences as a series of actions, and think of those actions as a kind of 'training.' What have you been doing in school for the last ten years? Were you trained to sit still and listen or stand up and articulate your thoughts? Were you trained to think for yourself or to accept what others thought? Were you trained to question authority or adhere it? Were you trained to develop your sense of curiosity to follow the instructions of others?
Now contemplate the next four years. Do you hope it continues the training of the last ten years, or are you expecting something different? What would you like to be 'trained' to do in university?