English 110: First Week Writing Assignment
The purpose of higher education is for students to be able to further expand their knowledge, experience something that could essentially change their view of the world, and have the opportunity to challenge their mind to become thoughtfully critical in a modern society. In a passage from, The Idea of Higher Education, by Ronald Barnett, Barnett explains that higher education is unsettling and disturbing to students because it disrupts what they have come to know as normal. He writes about how students who pursue a higher education will benefit the most if they are forced to face challenges and are put in uncomfortable situations. Prior to attending a college or university students have built themselves a safe and comfortable life. Where they have a system for getting things done, a schedule for what they do during their everyday routine, and are surrounded by people they know and can rely on. Pursuing a higher education can change all of that. It puts students in a new place, pushes them to change their views, and come to realize, according to Barnett, that things could always be other than they are.
Barnett’s ideas about higher education also relate to a passage from “Education for Profit, Education for Democracy” in Reading the World, by Martha Nussbaum. Nussbaum explains the U.S. educational system as being unique in comparison to other nations for our liberal arts universities. Students attending liberal arts universities are required to take a variety of classes in order to be more versatile and challenge their minds. Barnett and Nussbaum write about how the college experience is centered around challenging oneself. Liberal arts universities make it more possible for students to challenge themselves and get out of their comfort zones. Instead of focusing on one specific subject the courses required can range from art classes, to english or history classes. Students benefit from taking these courses by becoming more empathetic and understanding of the world around them. By taking classes that are outside of a student’s comfort zone they are essentially putting themselves in a “disturbing” situation which also relates to how Barnett describes the idea of higher education.
As a first-year college student at the University of New England, I have not yet had many opportunities or experiences in a higher education that are unsettling, academically. However, outside of academics there have been situations when I have felt unsettled and nervous. Getting comfortable in a new place, making new friends, and finding yourself are all things most first-year college students are feeling. Although these things can cause feelings of anxiety, they are all part of getting a genuine higher education. By attending a liberal arts university there are many different classes, clubs, and organizations that offered. These diverse courses and clubs better develop students to become independent and sympathetic citizens. They also challenge students to see things differently and expand their horizons. Overall, my experiences do not yet reflect the ideas of Nussbaum and Barnett, but by being a student here at the University of New England I am confident that their ideas will prove to be true.
