A couple of weeks ago, I received a high grade on a paper over a novel I had to read for a class. Due to the fact that all of my classes require a lot of out of class work, I did not make quality time to truly enjoy the whole book. As a result I had to use a lot of online resources to familiarize myself with the whole storyline and theme to pull together my essay.
Though I was very excited about my grade, it occurred to me that in the end it was my loss. I missed the opportunity to truly absorb the novel and grant myself the privilege to say that I’ve read it.
As college students we become overwhelmed with exhaustive readings, papers, exams and various other assignments to the point where classes just become something to survive on top of our extracurricular and social activities.
With that being said, I am reminded that sometimes it is easy to forget that college is meant to enlighten us with knowledge and refine our thoughts so that we can fully contribute to the world one day. Additionally, specifically at SMU, we are receiving a quality education that for many young Americans represents an unfulfilled aspiration, so our short time here is something to really take advantage of.
No matter what your major is or how busy you are, try and take in everything that you are learning because it is really adding to who you are intellectually and you never know when you might need it. If you are an engineer or have a major that is far from the liberal arts, you still have basic curriculum classes to round out your experience with interesting topics, so take CF and perspective classes that sound interesting you.
Again, I am well aware that it is sometimes difficult to give one’s full attention to all classes, much less want to show up to those outside one’s comfort zone, but it always helps to find small ways to enjoy them all. Consider doing your assignments in a relaxing environment, or maybe tweak how you manage your time so that you can enjoy your reading.
SMU is an expensive gift that lasts a lifetime, so look for opportunities to deepen your experience by reflecting on each learning experience.
Ladner is a junior majoring in political science and English.
