The joy of learning is often overshadowed by our desire to succeed academically. We become too obsessed with a letter grade and lose focus on topics that once interested us. That number on our transcripts soon becomes a signifier of our value. Suddenly, we’re overloaded with classes and enrolled in a million clubs, all with the ultimate goal of securing a job that society deems worthy. Frankly, by the end of the winter term, students are burnt out.
Cue spring term.
The beauty of spring term is that students only take one class, allowing them to delve deep into a specific subject, whether that be the Poetics of Food or the History of Ghosts. By only taking one course, students can become fully immersed in the material. Spring term also allows students to explore subject areas outside of their traditional comfort zone, unconstrained by the necessary major and minor requirements they must fulfill. Forget the fear of completing your FDRs on time. Forget the stress of balancing five classes and extracurriculars. And, most importantly, forget the need to earn a perfect grade. spring term is a chance to rediscover one’s love for learning.
Instead of being stuck in the library studying for an exam, I was sunbathing on the colonnade while writing a paper. Instead of rushing through my readings to complete my other homework in time, I was able to fully enjoy the assigned books. Classes no longer felt like a chore but like a welcome choice. During spring term, I was learning about presidential scandals and re-enacting the Clinton Impeachment trial. The next year? I was traveling halfway across the world to Morocco, learning first-hand about the effects of colonialism. Neither of these were experiences I could have predicted.
At first, I was so surprised by the wave of relief I felt during my freshman-year spring term. But, soon I came to realize it was exactly what I needed. Transitioning from high school to college was a harder adjustment than I expected. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed, defining my self-worth by a grade. However, spring term allowed me to reconnect with my love for learning, with the joy of being a student not to earn a perfect grade but to explore a passion and connect with others.
