By the time I completed my tenure at Westchester Community College, I knew I wanted to become a professor. Of what? I had no idea. But I knew I wanted to teach. Today I think I would’ve been a superb professor of two disciplines; basic algebra and composition and literature. Algebra because it took me multiple attempts to finally get it, but once I did, I morphed into an algebraic champion with a knack for explaining its concepts to others – and composition and literature because I think I’d be a quizzical inspiration for young or interested writers. By the time I had graduated from graduate school at Binghamton University, I had already submitted my resume to one of my early professors at the aforementioned community college (Dr. John Christesen). He would pass it on to the college president (Dr. Joseph Hankin) for review. That entire endeavor, for some reason or another, never worked out. I’m not sure if there were any teaching positions available. Probably not. I really can’t remember.
I loved Westchester Community college. Without it, I have no idea where I’d be today. It took an undisciplined, novice, and certainly uninterested young man and turned him into a motivated, somewhat professional, and certainly interested still young, but somewhat older, young man. I thank my lucky stars for that institution and I’ll speak highly of it until the day I die. I thank it for instilling inside of me the ability to think. I’m not sure people appreciate the value of everyday thinking. To think is to compete, succeed, and win. Thinking is everything. It takes time and effort and without it, you’re really not much at all.
In our home, Laura and I often discuss the benefits of being educated. In today’s world, a valid and classical education is often overlooked. It’s all too easy to tell a young man or woman that they’ll go “far enough” with trade school training or with a simple high school diploma. In some cases, perhaps they will, especially if the child doesn’t have the wherewithal to excel in a university environment. Either that, or if earning a living is a primary concern. Regarding trade schools, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate them as much as the next guy does – after all, I attended one for two years during high school. Some time during tenth grade, my high school’s administrators along with my parents deemed my academic success as “not forthcoming” so I was shuttled off to an institution called BOCES in Yorktown, New York. There, I studied and practiced construction electricity. It was actually an excellent experience and I learned a lot. The fact was though, being an electrician wasn’t of interest to me. If I had it to do over again, I most likely would have gone into carpentry or masonry. The craft of electrifying things is somewhat limited in scope. I think I could have transformed my carpentry or masonry knowledge into something more along the lines of, or something that had to do with, historical woodworking, stonework, and/or architecture. Areas that interest me much more than electricity does.
Schools and parents oftentimes remove underperforming students from their academic environments and place them into much more suitable “hands on” surroundings. In my opinion, it’s the right option to take advantage of, if available. Some students are simply too immature to study the way others do. I was certainly immature during my high school days. And not only that, I was also heavily apathetic. Something’s got to be done with my type of student and having the opportunity to learn auto mechanics, tree care, electronics, nursing, child care, and so much more is priceless. Of course, during my own high school days, I didn’t appreciate the gift that was bestowed upon me. I’m not sure I actually appreciated much of anything.
As I grew into my early 20s, I suppose my mind matured. I became more interested in the finer things life had to offer and less interested in working with my hands. Of course I still work with my hands quite a bit, but today it’s by choice, not necessity. And as I mentioned above, I matriculated in and attended a community college as well as a university. My early days of learning were admittedly rough, but as time passed, I learned how to learn and actually became quite good at it. I came to enjoy and regard the academic world highly.
Today, I miss all of it.
When Laura and I discuss college, we talk about how nice it would be to return to such a structured environment. One that rewards learning and excelling at using the mind the way it’s meant to be used. I tell her how I would have gone into history or some sort of writing and research. And how I had always planned on working towards a PhD – for whatever reason, I have no idea. I’m not even sure why I undertook graduate school for an MBA. During my year after undergrad, while living in Atlanta, I came up with that idea. I thought about how much fun the challenge would be, so I went ahead with it. A year later, I had earned another degree and had it to keep in my back pocket in case I ever needed it. I’ve yet to need it.
To me, the university is meant to be taken advantage of to its fullest extent. I definitely recognize the value of STEM degrees, obviously, but I’ve never been interested in any area of them. I’ve recently been enthralled with the liberal arts. What are the liberal arts?
A liberal arts degree includes the study of history, literature, writing, philosophy, sociology, psychology, creative arts, and more. The programs are designed to help you formulate compelling arguments, communicate well, and solve problems.
If you ask me, it’s a degree worthy of pursuit. One that won’t get you very far in an increasingly more defined and professionally segregated world, but one that will surely assist in thinking yourself through the problems and issues life throws at you day in and day out.
I once wrote two posts; one dealt with articulation and the other dealt with debating. Both were related to the art of using one’s mind. How to think and how to process ideas. And then, how to communicate those ideas to others in any way you choose. Or just keep them to yourself. To me, that’s ultimately what a university degree, or at the very least, experience, is all about.
I’d like you to watch the following video. It shows two people who demonstrate exactly what I’m referring to. The student asks valid and very well thought out questions and Jordan Peterson answers those questions like none other. In my opinion, it’s impossible to speak like these two without years and years of training on how to do so. Remember though that behind the speaking is the thinking and formulation of ideas. Tasks that are much more complex and challenging than most people give credit for.
It’s not thinking that I miss most about the university life though. It’s much more than that. It’s the all-encompassing, dare I say, vibe, that’s omnipresent on a well respected campus.
For instance, let’s say I somehow managed acceptance into Cambridge University as a young lad. Imagine me majoring in History and Philosophy, two fascinating topic areas for me. Now imagine me taking courses on the Renaissance and Reformation, Ancient Rome, and the history of Western Civilization. And on top of that, imagine me taking courses on Ancient Philosophy, Contemporary Moral Issues, and Critical Thinking and Reasoning. Think of all the research I’d have to do. All the papers I’d have to write. All the students I’d have to discuss my ideas with. That’s what I miss the most about going to college.
Back when I actually attended both of my schools, I majored in business. Sure, I took a good number of classes that had no relation to business at all, but for the large part, business was my game. Now, I’m not sure if you’ve ever taken a business course or not, but I can tell you that, while certainly challenging, they’re not exactly what you’d discuss with others at dinner parties. There’s nothing glamorous or interesting about accounting, marketing, or finance. Subjects that are good to know, but not much fun to remember. Courses on the arts, world, and the mind – now that’s an entirely different beast. I imagine myself immersed in that world and somehow, I miss it. Or at least, I imagine myself missing it.
