Now, everyone may not have come out of the womb with a backpack on and ready to learn like myself, but I honestly believe everyone can find a passion for it and develop this enthusiastic mindset towards their education.
With my predisposition of loving school, perceiving learning and studying as a hobby came naturally. For many of us, it can be quite the opposite; with studying, homework, and even going to school feeling like a chore, it can make the idea seem daunting. While some aspects can be quite tedious, there is a special tip I want to share to make the mental shift from thinking of school as a tedious task to it as an outlet and a hobby.
I will be the first to admit that getting those prerequisites out of the way can be tasking and boring; I can’t sugarcoat that, sadly. Beyond the syllabus and seemingly dry material, you can transform these core classes into a strong foundation that is actually enjoyable!
First step is to go into a program or degree that you absolutely love. My passion has always been advocacy, communication, and public speaking. I knew that even though I already loved school, that I would have to study something thought-provoking and invigorating to warrant spending my money and time on it. Once I found ASU program online, all of the puzzle pieces fell together and it all clicked. Even reflecting on those early classes (ASU 101, anyone?) that seemed useless at first, I can now see that they all attributed to where I am in this moment. If those initial classes are putting you at your wits’ end, keep this in mind: “This is the foundation being laid to my passion and future.” Those prereqs will come and pass with ease, and then comes the fun stuff: your program-specific classes!
Establish your passion, and hopefully ASU will have the perfect program for you. From there it becomes as easy as 1,2,3. From the encouraging professors from day one to the amazing resources (shout-out to all my ASU librarians!) to the lifelong classmates you will meet, you will feel at home, engaged, and your degree will become a hobby.
I do not think I would be in my master’s program or be pursuing a PhD if I didn’t love what I did and what I am studying. There will be difficult times; there will be tears, late nights, and endless cups of coffee while you cram for a class you’ve never opened the book for, but if you are passionate about what you study and keep reaching for your goals, I promise you it will all be worth it in the end. You will find yourself buying books for the semester and getting excited to break them open. Writing prompts will start to spark you with excitement rather than fear. And eventually you will see that this is more than a program and a degree; it’s a hobby and a passion.