Picture this: you’re sitting in English class when suddenly the teacher says something incredibly profound. Jaw dropping. Brilliant. It sparks a thought for you, reminding you of a song you once heard, and you wonder out loud if the song could be alluding to this concept. You and your teacher have a rapid back-and-forth discussion, and then… you realize that you’re the only one getting into it. You shrink back into your seat, embarrassed by the scene you’ve just made and the interest you’ve displayed.
Sound familiar? That was me a year ago, always first to be interested in something, always wondering if people thought less of me for it.
It’s not a good headspace to be in; I seriously do not recommend it. But sometimes high school is just like that. It’s hard to avoid.
Well here’s some good news: since coming to CMU this semester, I’ve found a new way of looking at things, and it’s affecting the way I interact with others and especially the way I learn.
Take for example, my Biblical Literature and Themes class, taught by Dan Epp-Tiessen. This class looks at the Bible as a narrative, putting together the pieces so we can understand each one in light of the other pieces and the whole.
For a few years now, I’ve disliked studying the Bible, and it’s been boring and unfulfilling for me. But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, I used to find a lot of joy in it. Well, in Bib Lit, I’m rediscovering that joy. Perhaps it was there all along and I just needed permission to uncover it again.
Dan so clearly loves teaching the Bible, and talking to him after class is always stimulating. As a naturally exuberant person, I can’t be in a class with a professor who loves teaching without loving learning.
I’m so grateful to be able to rediscover this delight in studying Scripture, and along with it a renewed enthusiasm about Jesus. By grabbing onto and owning my own excitement about learning instead of pushing it away, I’m able to become a better version of myself.
I’m learning to view education as a privilege, and I encourage you to as well. You might be surprised by how many lightbulbs turn on. Perhaps you, like me, will be able to give yourself permission to be passionate.
Guest blogger Marnie Klassen is a first year student and a learning enthusiast