You live, you learn.

I am now officially closing in on the end of 15 years of school. For the most part I have enjoyed the learning process, even if not so much the homework and getting up early for school, but for the past year the learning processing itself has become an issue for me. It´s not that I do not believe in educating and better myself. But being forced to comprehend new knowledge non-stop for the past 15 years of my life on command have started to take its tole on me, and it has make me strongly question the system in place (at least in western society) that we are to constantly learn in school 'till the day we are so far in our education, that we can now start the job we expect to do for the rest of our life.

Personally, I can expect another 4 years 'till I'm holding my university degree in my hand. And what this last year of school has made me realize, I will not get this degree, do my best, and learn the most, if I continue on this path of non-stop school, with only vacations and no real breaks.

This has made me wonder, how we are expected to spend 15-20 years of learning a very long list of curriculums, in addition to learning how to live and function as humanbeings, and actually gain the full benefits from what we are taught. Being taught a long list of theories without a breake to reflect on what we are to taught, and how it relates to our reality, is not the most productive solution for the individual nor the society.

If we are not given the opportunity to reflect and relate our knowledge to life, the end game is that we simply learn a lot of theories, which we are not able to appreciate. Furthermore, because there is such a lack of practical demonstrations, we cannot necessarily understand the use of what now know. From my personal experience, from myself and those around me, society often end up with a larger amount of well educated, but very frustrated young adults, who are not able to stand the idea of embracing new knowledge.. in fact they are much more likely to develop allergies against it. De facto they become part of a large group which has the tendency of turning into very close-minded individuals.

My now slightly obvious point, is that our system´s idea of finishing our education as soon as possible, so we can go out and be a profit for society and the pressure it puts on young people, is a serious issue. I am not encouraging people to take a break from the education system to do nothing, but solely considering that old cliché that there is important facts to know about the world, you can not be taught in a classroom: Travel, live, experience the many theories in real life, grow, bond, get to know yourself and and the people and cultures in this world. Live a little, is allowed, even if the system does not condone it. The world does not spin around the educational system.. or at least it shouldn't.