andave's place

You know you're growing up when things you didn't like or understand a year ago are engaging and interesting now. My Dad, Mom, and I went to an Economics Conference hosted by a Christian think tank today, for the whole day, and I enjoyed it.

Last year, or maybe the year before, I took a government class hosted by the think tank (Institute for Principle Studies) and the two classes that focused on economics were boring. This time not so much. I could see how it applies to me now.

More stuff like this has been happening to me the past six months, and I love it. I've been getting into classical voices now, sopranos in particular, whereas last year I couldn't stand them. Josh Groban is a favorite singer, now. Last year I thought his voice was cool, but not worth listening to. My tastes in music are becoming more sophisticated, and I've been analyzing my music, when I don't know anything about it! Books -- I've been getting into poetry, though that is mostly thanks to Countess.

I love it. I think that discovering things that make me an adult (wait and see what Bulletproof will have to say to that ) might even make up for losing attributes given solely to children, like not having to worry about responsibilities. I'm not sure yet -- I'm still in the first flush of excitement, and considering that I'm yet sixteen, I think it'll last a long while. I wonder what I'll be thinking about this next year. Will I long for the joys of childhood, or will I look forward more to finishing college and reaching proper adulthood? I'm excited to see what God will bring.

I'm glad I wrote that down. Anyways, here's my next column, due for publishing Friday the 4th.

Learning for Pleasure

Can there actually be pleasure in learning? Can there actually be pleasure in having to struggle through a sludgy mire full of everything from dangling participles to quadratic equations?

It depends on what we learn for. Do we learn solely for grades? Coming from a high school junior’s perspective, that’s a ridiculous question, of course it’s for grades. How else would one get into an accredited college or university, or further in life?
But is it solely for grades? For me, the emphasis in my homeschooling studies has always been on learning for learning’s sake – innate satisfaction not only from a high grade but also from adding fundamental material to my ever-growing store of knowledge.

But that changed when I hit 11th grade. Halfway through my junior year and picking up momentum in the college applications process, emphasis has shifted on to my grades. Strengths and weaknesses alike have to be worked on. Especially my weaknesses; my math book sitting smugly in the corner garners a baleful glare. There is a difference between wanting to learn and having to learn. I had to learn that quickly, in the moments I surfaced for air from under mounds of useless information. Only last week I was pacing in my bedroom memorizing Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address when my understanding of the reason why I am studying this material hit me in full force, changing my viewpoint and teaching me that high school academics, even the parts that seemed unecessary, can be fun and interesting.

Why the sudden change of heart? Why did I suddenly want to learn?
To begin with, history tantalized me. That led to curiosity, which in turn led to a quest for understanding. But why should I care about what happened a hundred and fifty years ago? Is it for prestige? Is it for bragging rights?

For the polish that an understanding of academics gives. For personal fulfillment. Beyond that, for the self-confidence it brings. Definitely, this self-assurance will have a domino effect on the people that a person is in touch with.

With that viewpoint, learning is no longer a chore but a challenge. In retrospect, last semester I took a chemistry course at Chabot College. Knowing my weaknesses, I expected that it would be hard and that I probably wouldn’t like it. It was hard, and stressful, but in spite of myself, I relished it. I was challenged by it, and I determined to conquer it. With God’s help, I did.

It’s not hard to find pleasure in learning. If there is anything that interests you, research it. Capitalize on your strengths, and you’ll go from one thing to another, like I did. It is surprisingly easy to go from a slight interest in a specific flower, to the structural makeup of the plant, to the root system, to the quality of the soil, and so on until you find yourself taking a botany course and thoroughly enjoying it.

My learning pleasure is in reading; it is incredibly rewarding not only to be able to tie everyday situations to those in books but also to assimilate the books I read into my being and be able to quote people. It adds a new dimension to life. Learning for the sake of learning, learning and studying for the joy of learning, has transformed my regular life into life with endless possibilities.

If learning does that for me, what can the joy of learning do for humanity? If we are able to find our strengths, overcome our learning hindrances, and extract the pleasure and benefits of learning, what can we reap? Would it be better grades? Higher scores? Better community? Better world? Or is it ultimately knowing that God is the author and finisher of all things?