Paradigm Shift: So much to learn, so little time!

There has been a significant shift in focus in my life right now. Not a drastic change, but a subtle difference in my thoughts and hopefully, my actions.

As graduate school transforms from a long-term into more of a short-term goal, I have been pondering more and more on what I intend to get out of my education here at BYU-Hawaii.

Learning has always been something that I've enjoyed and school has become so much more enjoyable for me since college. Not only have I been able to choose (for the most part) what I want to learn about, the fact that everything is in English makes it infinitely easier for me to soak up information.

It was relatively easy for me to decide what I had wanted to major in. I remember sitting down with Mom sometime during my last year of highschool, listing down the things I was interested in doing. I remember saving that list of things and slipping it into one of my many journals - which I can't seem to find here in my room. It might still be at home. In any event, I remember that I started by writing down things that I didn't want to do. Going to medical school was one of them. Things that I wanted to do ranged from becoming some sort of audio/video technician, a DJ, a politician, a librarian, an orthodontist, a vet (med school, anyone?), to teaching, counselling, writing, photography, doing something with computers (except that everyone I knew was going into that) etc. Wide range of interests.

Somewhere early on, I had decided that I wanted to help people. From the beginning of junior high, I had been dubbed the "class counsellor". People sought me out to tell me their problems. I took that as a compliment. There's something about the gospel that gives you a little more insight and a more wholesome perspective, I guess. I then decided that I wanted to become a "shrink". My friends made fun of me just a little. "You want to work with the crazy people?" Relax, I grew up in an Asian country. People there are sheltered like that.

And then I had the opportunity to volunteer briefly with special needs children. Oh, I LOVED it. That was on my list for the longest time too. I remember having to write about my "ambition" for my English class and that was on my list. My teacher said that it was more of a "vocation". I really didn't care about money. I just wanted to help people.

My mom helped me to conclude that psychology was what would lead me to achieve my goals. Towards the end of my highschool year, a few months before applying for college, I read "An Idiot's Guide to Psychology". I enjoyed it so much, there was no doubt left in my mind whatsoever that I was headed in the right direction.

So here I am, finishing my second year in college, still majoring in psychology and enjoying myself thoroughly. I took up a minor in music because I wanted the excuse to take "the fun classes". It was a good move. I just realized today that after this semester, I need one more ensemble credit and I will be done with my minor. I feel a slight twinge of regret. I wish that I could have spread them out a little more. Instead, I've had 2 semesters where most of classes have been music, with the same professor (who, thankfully, is incredibly good).

The more I've learned, the more I have wanted to learn. Today, I found myself on the school webpage looking into a minor in linguistics, TESOL (teaching English as a second language), ICS (inter-cultural studies) and some other things I couldn't minor in like social work, political science, education.

Do I have the time/resources for another minor? Will I be satisfied with just one introductory class per subject? What about all the other fun classes I want to take? Like Computer Sciece 101, or HTML, or dancing, or acting, surfing, horsemanship? What about the chinese or Spanish classes I wanted to take? Is this all the math I am going to do?

I know that education doesn't stop at college. But information is so much more readily available right here at this time. My mind is at its otpimal state in college. Learning is easier now than it ever will be again. It is very frustrating to think that in choosing one path, I have to give up so many others.

I hope that I never lose this unquenchable desire to attain knowledge. I am rather proud of myself for having such a desire, but still really confused.

And I still can't get over the fact that I am thinking about school on a Sunday!