Does college change you or do you change yourself?

Does college change you or do you change yourself?






Yep, college changes you alright. After the professors brainwash you into thinking exactly like they do, you become cloned automatons of the professors--only able to repeat what you learned in class and no longer capable of thinking for yourself.

Just kidding. :-)

All jokes aside. How much you do or don't change comes from the experiences you have in college. The life experience of going out into the world, shifting from high school to college, figuring things out on your own, making new friends, taking classes, navigating your place in the world, and experiencing completely new things can have a profound effect on a person's life. A wise student takes full advantage of all that college can offer and allows these things to change him/her for the better.

On the flip side, college can be rather boring if you only go to class and go to your room and never really take time to participate in campus life. Sure, you'll get your degree, but when you look back at your college years, will you have life long memories to carry with you forever?

As was often quoted to me by my older sibling, "college are the best four years of your life. Enjoy them." College is often a bit more than just four years nowadays, but the advice still rings true. Submerge yourself into the full experience of college: going to class, attending sporting events, joining clubs, studying hard, making new friends, and learning a lot.

So, take a class just because you want to.
Go to an event you wouldn't normally attend.
Meet a random person.
Learn a new language.
Try a new cuisine.  
Step outside of your comfort zone.
Take the road less travelled, and allow college to change you and you to change yourself for the better.

Be well,

Prof. Chatterbox

Will teachers try to mold my brain to think like theirs?

Will teachers try to mold my brain to think like theirs?

Yes. All teachers are mad scientists who dream of creating their own minions, minions who will one day aid in a new world order in which teachers are the overlords and everyone else must provide the teacher overlords with an endless supply of apples. But not those squishy apples. The nice, shiny, crisp apples that make a loud crunching noise when you bite into them...or a good apple cobbler, but only if ice cream is supplied as well.

Okay, in reality, most teachers are not mad scientists. There may be a few mad scientists in The Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, but we find that to be advantageous for our students who desire appropriate mad scientist role models.


A lot of students get the impression that their teachers are trying to mold their brains or brainwash them into a prescribed system of thought. And the reason that this erroneous impression occurs is that teachers speak with conviction. And teachers speak with conviction because they are knowledgeable and want to be taken seriously. Just as they want you to be knowledgeable and taken seriously.

No one who works at UTC wants you to be so malleable that you will blindly become and think just like them. All of your teachers want you to learn all that you can and think for yourself and speak with conviction.

Here is a lovely video that may help you understand what your teachers really want, besides shiny, crisp apples: 

                                                   

Professor Repentista


photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chelseaparkerphotography/6095101959/">chelsea.parker.photo</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hubmedia/402274680/">Andy Field (Field Office)</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>