Growth Outside the Classroom | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The John William Pope Center for Education Policy provides a treasure trove of information suggesting the better path forward in regards to North Carolina's number one issue - public education. Public education, at all levels, requires a significant amount of funding from our state government, and all one hundred North Carolina counties, so it is essential that leaders effecting education policy get it right, and know that concerned entities, like the John William Pope Center, will be minding their progress to do so. We welcome the John William Pope Center for Education Policy to our growing readership, and expect our readers to learn all they can to do their part in this wise endeavor to better educate our People.

The author of this post is Max Lamb.

    When classes got a little boring, a student found other opportunities at UNC-Chapel Hill.

    I have always tried to be successful. Back in high school, success meant doing well in classes so that I would get into a good college. Being involved in extracurricular activities or having a job was helpful, but academics were vital. Getting into a top school like Chapel Hill only strengthened my belief in academics. I saw my courses as the key to college success.

    In college, my idea of how to succeed changed, however.

    I view the goal of college as getting a job. Thus, I thought that if I did well in my courses I would get a good job and apply what I had learned. As a liberal arts university, UNC promotes a well-rounded education to make students well-rounded critical thinkers prepared for the real world. I knew I would have to take a wide variety of classes to fulfill the numerous undergraduate academic requirements.

    Although at first I was excited about taking those classes, I slowly began to dread some of them. I have never been all that interested English, drama, or philosophy, but I had to take them, anyway. I went in with a positive attitude, thinking that I would find the material stimulating and the class engaging. However, the combination of not being interested in the material and not always being challenged by my professor caused me to dislike some of my classes. I felt discouraged and often unattached from the class lectures. Those classes were just not for me, and I felt as though I was not being prepared for the world after college.

    The first semester of my sophomore year seemed particularly useless, as I didn't feel that I was growing. But then I began to see that being active outside the classroom is a great way to grow, too. Clubs, organizations, athletics, study abroad opportunities, internship opportunities, and much more are easily available at Chapel Hill.

    So, during my sophomore year I decided to use my free time more productively. First, I wanted to gain experience from a leadership position, something that would be new to me. Already a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, one of the two business fraternities on campus, I decided to try for an executive position. I attended all of our meetings and met my fundraising and volunteering requirements, but I also took on more responsibilities, such as behind-the-scenes planning. I was willing to step up when others didn't want to. I made sure my opinions were heard, so that people could see I was capable of making decisions and being a leader. I stepped out of my comfort zone. At the end of the second semester I was elected vice president, beginning this fall. This position will test my leadership abilities, organizational skills, and overall capabilities for getting things done. I could not do this sitting in a classroom.

    I then applied to the UNC Honor Court. Having a possible interest in law school, I thought this would give me an understanding of how a court system works, while allowing me to uphold the values and integrity of our university. I have been chosen as one of the new members of the honor court for next year and I have shadowed a few cases so far. In addition, I have spent time looking into law schools and what it all entails. Although the court process is interesting, I decided the challenges of law school, especially all the writing, are not in my favor. I will continue to look for options after college, and will continue to use the resources at my school to help. Even so, being able to get a glimpse at a possible career was a good way to grow and, again, something that I couldn't have done by sitting in a classroom.

    Lastly, I decided to take a public speaking class. I was skeptical at first how helpful it would be. I knew I had to improve my ability to speak to a group both for my new leadership position and for the future, so I thought it couldn't hurt. Surprisingly, this class turned out to be quite enjoyable. My teacher was funny and the class was actually quite engaging.

    Through practice in that class, I am now better able to control my nerves when speaking. I have developed more self-confidence when giving a speech. Although this experience occurred in a classroom, it was a "practical" class. It was designed to actually help with a specific area of personal growth - a non-academic area.

    The university is an overall experience, not just an educational one. I initially thought that focusing on my courses would help me succeed and I undervalued the opportunities that were outside the classroom. But I soon realized that growth can be obtained through the numerous opportunities that universities offer. Self-confidence, leadership, social, physical, and spiritual are all areas of the self that can be improved outside the classroom.

    Academics are important, but can sometimes become lackluster either due to poor teaching or the student's lack of interest. Success in college is becoming a well-rounded individual who is prepared for the real world, and this can be achieved by a number of ways.

    (Editor’s note: This article is part of an occasional series, “If I Knew Then What I Know Now,” in which students and graduates share their college experiences.)