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Students...why do you study?

This is a question I often contemplate...'why the fuck am I doing this?'

During school, I was never really that smart. My GCSEs were average at best (GSCEs is the UK grading system when you leave compulsory education) and I dropped out of college - twice. After that I had major problems with anxiety and depression and was on many meds and had many therapists.

I remember telling my family I wanted to go to University on a foundation course that would lead to a degree...I was met with silence, then my dad saying 'We don't think its a good idea, you're not strong enough or smart enough to cope'.

I managed to convince them otherwise, however on my first day of term I spent most of the day in my bedroom throwing up into the sink because I was so scared of what I had gotten myself into.

My first 2 years were a nightmare - barely scraping by with enough points to pass. Then something changed last September, I suddenly became determined...I decided to go all out and apply myself and put as much effort into my work as physically possible, to prove my family wrong.

At the moment I am in line to acheive a 2:1 grade - which is a very good mark to get at degree, but I keep pushing myself to aim for a 1st (top level degree)...so much so that anything less is a fail in my eyes. I think its because I want to prove my family and my demons as wrong as possible, but in doing so I am making myself ill with stress and sleep deprivation.

So yeah, sorry about the rambling on...I really just needed to vent.

But I wondered, does anyone else have a reason why they study, or even just work as hard as they do?

education -> better job -> more money -> means to do what you want

i graduated 3 months ago

just an extra line on my cv, but my salary almost doubled

Because, believe it or not, I like to learn.

And I think the "better job" waiting for you at the end of your education is one of many incentives...

I studied hard because I appreciated the intellectual stimulation. Yes, college education is important in attaining means to make money and be successful later in life, but even with that in mind, I worked hard because I wanted to prove to myself that I could overcome the challenge of getting the best grades possible.

I saw school as a game of sorts...get an A and I win. Anything less and I lose. The jobs/careers/money that I would receive afterwards for winning that 'game' would be like a bonus.

I think its awesome that you are setting out to prove to those that you can do this, but you should really be doing this for yourself. Who cares what others think. This is your life, and if you'd rather scrape by in mediocrity, so be it. If not (which it sounds like you don't), work at it, get it done, and reap the benefits. But try not to stress out too much.

quote:

Originally posted by R.j. Because, believe it or not, I like to learn.

They've actually done neuroscience which shows that, apart from other benefits, learning is a biologically pleasurable experience.

Because it's my duty to put the talent god gave me to use.

money, bitches, and power

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy education -> better job -> more money -> means to do what you want

I would say this is partially correct. Add to that...study so you will do something in life you love and have a passion for.

If scrubbing toilets made you a lot of money and required minimal education...would you do it for a lifetime? Likely no - though some of you would say yes but get fed up with the job after a short time. Higher education means you will go into a much more disciplined field and that job will generally pay you more. The beauty of university general education classes (for those who are undecided) is to give you a flavor of everything out there. Some math(s), business, science, art, etc, etc, etc...

I'm currently studying medicine (gonna enter second year after summer). The thing is, I always was interested in this area. Also, many of the people on my mother's side (and family friends) are medics so I was in this kind of an environment from an early stage.

Also, I don't care as much about the money as I do about the social status it brings me (in the society I'm living in).


The thing is, always when i had hard times studying, got stuck or didn't understand other complex stuff, it's important to remember that you do this out of pleasure, and not to consider this a burden, especially when you're in a career which demands constant documentation about techniques and news, even after graduation.

EDIT: When it comes to motivators, me, a friend of mine and another guy which i don't know so well have the best grades. It is kind of a personal competition on that level too. Friendly, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by Chimney EDIT: When it comes to motivators, me, a friend of mine and another guy which i don't know so well have the best grades. It is kind of a personal competition on that level too. Friendly, of course.

A while back, I helped in a psychological study under this Stanley Milgram guy. He was doing this test to see if electric shocks could help people to improve their memories. The guy they had me shock didn't do very well and wound up dying. It turns out punishing people didn't actually help them learn much of anything.

I wouldn't really say that I work "hard". I mean, I'm very focused and aim to do well (I'd say my best, but I definitely don't work that hard), but it's not like I struggle.

I study because I enjoy what I'm learning and want to be good at what I do. I want to go on to get my master's degree as well. My job entails life-long learning and continual upgrading, staying on top of current research, etc. So it would be a pretty poor career choice if I didn't enjoy "studying" to some extent.

quote:

Originally posted by jennypie I wouldn't really say that I work "hard". I mean, I'm very focused and aim to do well (I'd say my best, but I definitely don't work that hard), but it's not like I struggle. I study because I enjoy what I'm learning and want to be good at what I do. I want to go on to get my master's degree as well. My job entails life-long learning and continual upgrading, staying on top of current research, etc. So it would be a pretty poor career choice if I didn't enjoy "studying" to some extent.

yeah, I think the first two years of college is just an extension of high school; you still don't really care about class and just getting by, etc.

once I started getting to my final years of my degree, and even more so now in grad school, learning things you know you're going to be working with in your job isn't as bad. I am just overwhelmed right now because of a lot of regulations changing and stuff so I'm currently working part-time, going to grad school full time, and studying for my license full time all together.

I feel like you finally start learning something useful to you, though, which kind of drives you to do it more.

For fun. Duh. Also to waste my money in institutions that don't give a flying fuck about you.

quote:

Originally posted by yukii For fun. Duh. Also to waste my money in institutions that don't give a flying fuck about you.

yeah, but many employers give a flying fuck about what you get out of said institutions

Yes. Burn the institution, eat the employer, steal the money.

Because I desire to know.... and academic jobs are much more fun than doing actual work

Because being #2 in your class just makes you the #1 loser.

so that when you get out of college you can get a shit, underpaid, slightly unrelated job, but not as bad as the jobs the people that didn't get a degree got

Re: Students...why do you study?

quote:

does anyone else have a reason why they study, or even just work as hard as they do?

I get bored. So I read. Sometimes I like to write about stuff.


Honestly I have so many ideas going through my head, that I like to get it out and organize my thoughts. I did this leading up to 2006 or so.

Now I have some MAJOR projects I've been developing, both in my head and text.

Re: Re: Students...why do you study?

quote:

Originally posted by ******** Honestly I have so many ideas going through my head

They�re called voices William.

Money. Bitches. Power.

What's this pursuit of knowledge crap I keep hearing about? I'm just a pedant. The world loves pedants. That's why I study ivory tower shit that is absolutely useless to the 'real world,' son. F your bridges, health, and businesses.

quote:

Originally posted by Lira Because I desire to know....

This

I don't think I will ever get tired of browsing through my old books eventhough I'm done with school. I enjoy taking courses and seminars , I look at them as a fine tuning of something that I perform everyday on a regular basis .

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy education -> better job -> more money -> means to do what you want

^this.

the more you discipline yourself, the more unlimited you become.

Personally, I won't be able to spend my life doing what I love without lots of schooling.

no education (not necessarily in school!) -> lesser critical thinking ability -> less chance that you'll have your way with the world and more chance that it will have its way with you. There are other important aspects to empowering yourself and creating opportunities to do what you want in life, like the ability to take risks and act in spite of fear, the ability to communicate effectively, etc. But if you're not a sharp thinker and a lifelong learner, I don't think you'll get very far.

Re: Re: Re: Students...why do you study?

quote:

Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN They�re called voices William.

Ha, Actually I dont think in sounds (although I have had some profound sound notions and dreams - for example just a week or so ago I was playing music in my head that I had never heard before and it was wonderful - I make a lot of sound though and sometime you actually do need to think in sound - including creating voices - however the difference is they are my creation not a separate entity - and no I'm not hearing occurrence - I'm putting emotion to being not the other way around) I think far more abstract and emotively. This is why I need to develop the sentiments - as they allow me to express the notion into tangible relations.


I can make a trumpet line, or a laugh, or a woman speaking in a hispanic accent just by thinking it and the limit between conjecture and depth are only a matter of focus or connection. I can create a story on the fly - that is creativity.

But no I tend to think in emotion then turn emotion to language - whatever the sense medium.

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