By Ashlyn Beck | Staff Writer
I get it: The last thing any student wants to do after a day of work and class is get out of bed and sit in a lecture hall for an hour listening to someone they don’t know talk about some obscure topic. I’ve been there too.
Regardless, attending lectures on campus can be beneficial for students’ education by opening them up to new ideas and different perspectives. I have attended lectures on topics ranging from mental health maintenance to racial division to academic success. Not every lecture immediately seemed applicable to my life, but I left all of them with more knowledge and practical steps to make myself and the world better.
One of the unique things about Baylor is that there are constant opportunities to learn from people who are experts in a variety of fields. Not only that, but they are passionate about those fields, and it shows. Lectures on campus cover all areas of study, so there is bound to be something that interests every student. Even if it doesn’t interest a student, it can still be beneficial, and it’s completely free.
Many sources agree that it is important to hear from people who are different from you. Being around people of different ages, ethnicities, educations and interests helps to expand your point of view and give you a new perspective. Learning should never end in the classroom. If we allow this, we run the risk of forgetting why we learn.
Sometimes it is important to take a break from what you have been studying since freshman year and open yourself up to a wider range of knowledge. We are surrounded by experts who are here to impart knowledge. Attending their lectures gives you a break from learning about the same topics from the same people as always.
Yes, it takes a lot of motivation to leave the comfort of your room just to sit in a lecture hall, but it will enrich your college experience. Go to a lecture, take joy in the fact that you won’t be tested over the content, relax and listen to experts generously share their knowledge and passion to you. You’ll learn a plethora of new things, and you might see the world a little differently than you did before.
