I mean it when I say I am a part of the coolest program Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has to offer. As a Sport Media student, I literally go to school to talk about sports and on top of that, there isn’t much studying, we write very few exams, and have a less intense school schedule—aside from six-hour television labs.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to discount the work we do—a lighter school schedule also means filling the rest of our time with unpaid media work just to find an internship that probably won’t pay either, all while balancing classes, a part-time job and a social life.
However, while I do think it takes skill to work in the sports media industry, I will never complain about being in my dream program. I think if I did, an engineering student might punch me in the face.
But if there’s one thing I can say about my program, it gave me far more than just the skills of a sports media member; it also gave me the tools to grow intellectually. A benefit of having a lighter course load is more room for electives. I know not everyone is a fan of taking classes that have nothing to do with their degree, but only looking for classes that improve their career leaves so much opportunity for personal growth on the table.
I’ve taken a range of electives in many disciplines, including social studies and science. I can confidently say that even though I was bored in some of them (sorry, architecture), I did learn, and I’m glad I showed up. Misinformation in healthcare is so prominent today that taking a virus class gave me the information I needed to make informed decisions about my own health. I woke up every Monday in my third year asking myself if I should just skip my geography class, but I went and came out a more educated citizen on politics, and even though I cannot apply one ounce of architecture to my career in sports media, the world history I learned is far more important, especially when certain politicians want to erase history.
I understand the school system is far from perfect, and other programs aren’t afforded the same luxury of learning different disciplines because of their packed schedules. Still, for anyone in an academically rigorous program, I challenge you to get more out of your education in any way you can.
Perhaps capitalism has made it difficult for students to think about anything beyond getting a high-paying job. With the rising cost of living and education costs, I can see why students hyperfocus on their careers while in school. However, because of these issues, the leaders of tomorrow must be strong in their intellectualism.
One thing I think students get wrong all the time is not continuing to learn once they leave school. School isn’t going to teach us everything, nor should it, because if it did, we would be in school for the rest of our lives. The point of receiving an education is to become independent learners once we leave, but from what I can see, there’s an increasing number of people who don’t care about learning or expanding their minds. If our only objective is to just develop the skills necessary for our dream job, then how will we know how to function outside of school or work?
With all the issues in our world today, citizens with the ability to question systems in power, who are not prone to falling victim to misinformation and who can think for themselves are the only way out of this mess. By no means am I a genius, but it is because of my education that I feel confident in my ability to continue learning and to think critically outside my career.
So, for those of us with the luxury of graduating with a post-secondary education, why not take advantage of all the learning opportunities possible?