It’s a new month, and that means a new homepage quote. Since June officially starts summer for those of us involved in academics, I figured this note from Oscar Wilde was rather appropriate.
Some of you may be thinking that summer is a time for relaxation after a stressful spring semester. For some it may be a time to pick up some work to pay those car, phone, dating, and school expenses. But here’s something that may surprise you.
You may get more learning done now, during the summer, than when you’re actually in school.
I know that sounds odd, and I’m sure you are scared of what I’m about to ask of you. I’ll ask anyway: spend this summer devouring good books, thinking about tough arguments, and trying new skills. Yes, that sounds exactly like what you’ve been doing that past nine months, but there’s one enormous difference. No one will tell you what to, and you won’t be graded. It’s entirely up to you!
This is a chance to learn whatever you want to learn, to explore whatever you want to explore. Always wanted to figure out how to change your own oil in your car? Now is your chance! Always thought old movies were boring? Pick up as many films from the 1970s as you can and watch a new one every day for a month! Always wondered what the hype about Moby Dick is? Take a crack at it! Always wanted to learn to play an instrument? You can learn to play guitar in three months easily—trust me, I did it when I was your age! Always wanted to impress that girl or guy from school? This is the time it happens! Show up to class in the fall a changed person—smarter, more well-rounded, and more confident.
Don’t let summer be an excuse to get less smart and less interesting. Studies show that not only do young kids lose a lot of ground in the long break, but so do college students. Reading and writing and thinking are habits, and a three-month interruption from them will ruin whatever gains you made last year.
Everyone learns the same stuff in the classroom. The summer is where you can develop the person you actually want to be. Read good stuff. Write interesting ideas down. Keep in contact with smart people. Make summer your personal school semester.
Some of you may be thinking that summer is a time for relaxation after a stressful spring semester. For some it may be a time to pick up some work to pay those car, phone, dating, and school expenses. But here’s something that may surprise you.
You may get more learning done now, during the summer, than when you’re actually in school.
I know that sounds odd, and I’m sure you are scared of what I’m about to ask of you. I’ll ask anyway: spend this summer devouring good books, thinking about tough arguments, and trying new skills. Yes, that sounds exactly like what you’ve been doing that past nine months, but there’s one enormous difference. No one will tell you what to, and you won’t be graded. It’s entirely up to you!
This is a chance to learn whatever you want to learn, to explore whatever you want to explore. Always wanted to figure out how to change your own oil in your car? Now is your chance! Always thought old movies were boring? Pick up as many films from the 1970s as you can and watch a new one every day for a month! Always wondered what the hype about Moby Dick is? Take a crack at it! Always wanted to learn to play an instrument? You can learn to play guitar in three months easily—trust me, I did it when I was your age! Always wanted to impress that girl or guy from school? This is the time it happens! Show up to class in the fall a changed person—smarter, more well-rounded, and more confident.
Don’t let summer be an excuse to get less smart and less interesting. Studies show that not only do young kids lose a lot of ground in the long break, but so do college students. Reading and writing and thinking are habits, and a three-month interruption from them will ruin whatever gains you made last year.
Everyone learns the same stuff in the classroom. The summer is where you can develop the person you actually want to be. Read good stuff. Write interesting ideas down. Keep in contact with smart people. Make summer your personal school semester.