Where it all began.

Today I am reminded where it all began: what reignited my thirst for learning after some bumps in the road, the belief in myself to get started, and the necessary steps to get there. I wrote this paper three years ago in a freshman research writing class, after it all started to click. Here is the introduction. I hope it makes you think a little.

Intelligence: an Attribute or a Life Style?

             It has been said that those who are “smart” by whatever standard do not necessarily know more facts or information than others, but they merely know how to learn.  It is in human nature that until we can tell ourselves something it is of little value to us.  For example, a girl can be told she is beautiful forever, by several people, but until she knows she is beautiful and understands why she will not believe such a statement, even if her actions show otherwise.  The same concept applies in the classroom; the teacher lectures for an hour in hopes of the students returning home and reviewing the information taught, applying it to questions asked and relating it to their own lives as well.  Unless they do this, they will not fully understand a topic enough to do well when it comes time for a test.  Listening in class is half the battle.  It is amazing how quickly information can leave our short-term memory if we do not immediately find someway to apply it.  There are those who want to do well, and there are those who want to learn.  The two can be combined, but not without persistent effort.  Knowing how to learn has to start somewhere, so what exactly characterizes an educated person?  An educated person is one who thinks critically and is stripped of pride.