Rediscovery: Oxford Diaries

As I prepared to register for my last set of classes at my home institution, I met with my (amazing) advisor. Of course, we did a deep dive into my transcript and ensured that I was on track for graduation, but we ultimately segued into a discussion about an issue we've both noticed is intensifying.

At my home institution, as well as many others in the U.S., passion is being diminished. To be completely transparent, I originally thought that teachers and professors were at fault and that their lack of compassion for students had created a domino effect. However, as I begin to interact and socialize with fellow classmates and faculty/staff, I am realizing that the reverse is true: students have less concern and enthusiasm for their studies. We're living in a time where money is the number one priority for most people, and while I understand that some may constantly look for better opportunities to make more money (especially considering the never-ending increase in the cost of living and social media's new trend of being luxury-obsessed), it seems like most of the world is being consumed by greed. At my home institution, I've asked fellow econ majors why they chose economics and some literally said "because it'll make me money" and "it's a more valuable degree." WHAT?! I hope they know that when they get their post-graduation job, there are going to be expectations for them to actually know how to do things they should have been paying attention to in class.

On the other hand, students in my second major (Political Science) are sometimes a bit too... eager, to say the least. My school is located in the heart of the political arena, so guns are BLAZING. It is just a huge competition, a dog-eat-dog world where people do anything to get to the top, and it seems like most people are more concerned with outperforming one another rather than figuring out how they can contribute to greatness in the world.

There seems to be no happy medium. Students are either walking around like zombies, carelessly investing years into school subjects they have no passion for OR they're allowing their competitiveness to guide them down their career path. Either way, schools are being poisoned with greed, and it's disheartening to see the direction the world is going in. I've never been a fan of the phrase "the future depends on the youth," but now, I appreciate it for what it is, which is the truth. Yes, there are many things going on in the world and decisions being made by a bunch of ol-"my apologies"—mature people now, but who do we think is going to replace them? US! It's a shame that at this point in life, people have to put money before their own interests and "do what they gotta do," but we shouldn't trash out our integrity either. That is one of the main things we should hold on to because ultimately, that'll be the only thing some of us have.

While studying at Oxford, I felt satisfied. It is refreshing to be surrounded by people who actually care about what they're studying! You could ask any Oxford student or tutor to define their subject(s) and you'll find yourself in an hour long discussion about that very thing. The way their eyes light up when they're talking about their studies is invigorating, and I hope that everyone chooses to allow themselves to experience that.