“Book studying” versus “Real world application”

So as finals time rolls around, I’m sitting on my bed, typing this blog entry, lazy as ever… I took my first “final” today (although it technically doesn’t count as one) and will take another one tomorrow, and yet the actual “Finals week” hasn’t even started. And yet I’m lazy, tired, and kind of overrrr it!

It’s hard to motivate myself to study for certain subjects in school sometimes because it feels like the material I’m learning will hardly help me in the “real world.” I think that’s a problem most students face nowadays, and I wonder: is the disconnect between “book studies” and “real world application” actually there, or is it something us students make up?

I guess I’d say it’s both – for some material taught, it really is all “book studies” and yet for others it can be very applicable. I can see students (like myself too, sometimes) using the “it’s not even going to help me in real life” excuse to get out of studying, even though in the end it probably doesn’t affect anyone but themselves…

Or, I could view this “disconnect” another way: the lack of motivation for me to study for certain subjects/classes is manifested in me spending my time doing other things, such as participating in the #SocEntChat May 2009 that happened yesterday afternoon. Let’s digress for a second– What is #SocEntChat?!

#SocEntChats is a Twitter-based real-time discussion on social entrepreneurship themed around specific issues/areas/events each month. It is designed for current and aspiring social entrepreneurs, funders, media and supporters to share their ideas, discuss the state of the field, identify the latest innovations and pinpoint areas requiring more exploration… (more information is provided here)

I spent the next hour or so reading and particpating in some really great discussion about social entrepreneurship (see my previous blog entry on social entrepreneurship) at universities and also touched upon the very topic I just talked about – the disconnect, and whether or not school/education/grad-school prepares one for going into the field of social entrepreneurship.

After the chat, I spent one more hour just reading other articles/browsing Twitter/more web stuff on social entrepreneurship instead of studying..

It seems so paradoxical (not sure if this is the right word to use here…) that I’d rather engage in conversation about topics I’m actually interested in rather than spend my time studying for a class that seems like it’s not going to help me much. But people don’t go to school and get “an education” for no reason, so I’m sure one way or another it’s supposed to help me down the line, but it’s just hard to see how in the moment…

Anyway, at this point I think I’m just rambling, so I’m going to stop.

Meanwhile, feel free to share your thoughts on this!

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  • I hear you. I'm an undergrad studying political science and economics, and the ironic thing is that economics is considered one of the more "practical" liberal arts majors. But really, it hasn't been those skills I've learned in class that have benefited me during work or internships. I've found things I've pretty much taught myself - like webdesign, marketing, social media, etc - to be more useful than what I've learned in the classroom. How useful is a liberal arts education?

    But I think my education has helped me in so many other ways. My political science classes have helped me learn and read critically; it has developed my skills in critical thinking, problem solving, writing and communicating myself effectively. Participating in class has increased my oral & public speaking skills and given me confidence. I've learned an immense amount about the world and why it is the way it is.

    But I think there definitely needs to be a more practical component to it. I've learned a lot and love my majors, but was that really worth the money? I don't know.
  • I'd have to agree, Rosalind. I contemplate my life as a student everyday (and I mean it). Not a single day goes by when I don't think about these same issues...for the most part, my teachers don't inspire me, I'm stuck doing "reading engagements" for articles I'm not interested in--in classes I hate! And it probably doesn't help that we go to Berkeley, a school that primarily focuses on theory...NOT application. Where are we to get real life skills, I ask?

    It gets even worse when you think that we're PAYING to be bored...to learn things that we have no interest in learning about. Yeah, it's true that some of it is probably worthwhile, but that's also subjective. I'll probably just fall in sleep in class anyway. I don't even want to break down the price per hour we pay for one of these classes. oiy vey!

    ...and I was wondering why you were tweeting so fervently with #SocEntChat yesterday! haha
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