the pursuit of knowledge

Once you are out of the college realm for a while, you come to realize how much you miss learning new things. Yes, it's nice to not have midterms and finals and papers and the other academic stresses that go along with being a college student. But the core of the academic experience---the opportunity to learn about about a new subject ---is sorely missed once that opportunity is not as readily available as it is when you're a student. At least, that's what I have discovered. Luckily, I work on a university campus which means that I can still pretend to be in 'student mode'. This means taking advantage of having UCD library privileges and auditing classes. I would say that one of the main benefits of working on campus, behind the large amount of vacation and holiday time, is being surrounded by an intellectual environment. It has inspired me to expand my knowledge of the world.

And so, I am auditing another class this spring: History of Rock Music. I love it. The lecturer is a musician from the Bronx (with the strong accent to prove it) who has toured with Sting, Simon and Garfunkel, and Madonna and has played keyboards on numerous albums. He is definitely a character and it is enjoyable just to watch his crazy antics during class. I especially enjoy when he goes into one of his recording studio stories. I feel like my musical horizons are expanding and I am in the process of creating my own "School of Rock" CD library based on this class. It will include all the Beatles albums, and select albums from other influential artists of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's such as Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Stevie Wonder. If you'd like a mix, just let me know =)

In addition to auditing a class, I've also been trying to read more. I just finished a great book called "Freakonomics" by Steven Levitt, an economist at the University of Chicago. Basically, Levitt uses economics to explain things that seemingly have nothing to do with economics, like the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan or the structure of crack gangs. For someone like myself who was an econ. major (but is not using my major at all) it made me proud to see that Levitt is bringing economic principles to the masses in a book that is a surprisingly interesting read.

My point to this long rambling post? Never stop learning. Rent a documentary. Read a newspaper article (no, not something from PEOPLE...a real newspaper). Look up a previous President on Wikipedia and read about their administration. Join a book club. Go see a local play. Anything that involves stimulating your brain, the possibilities are endless. As educator Anthony J. D'Angelo says: " Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you'll never cease to grow."