Huanchu Daoren, the seventeenth century Chinese scholar, wrote, “if people always reflect on the regret they will feel afterward to forestall folly at the moment, they will be stable and will not err in action.” I suggest this is good advice for the student for a couple of reasons.
First, I recall the pressures of being a student very well. Assignments, test preparation, term papers, and the like all feel like “things that must be done.” It is common to think of these only as tasks that must be finished rather than as opportunities to gain skills relevant to one’s interests and talents. Using such logic, tasks pile up and lists build, as does resentment. One’s studies become something he or she “has to do.” Temptations arise, such as dates, movies, video games, and a long list of other activities ranging from benign to dangerous. These distractions become the flavor of life because they promote avoidance of the resented pile of class work. However, due dates arrive, exams must be taken, and term papers must be turned in. If temptations rule the day (or the week or month), class work slides to the bottom of life. Thus, the experience of receiving grades can be horrifying if class work was never prioritized in the first place. Daily resentment from early in the semester becomes outright contempt for the educational process, which by the end seems dull and unfair. All of this makes sense in a world in which education is the distraction instead of the focus.
Consider Daoren’s advice; envision and anticipate the resentment and contempt for one’s education that arises from neglect and constant distraction. Perhaps the student can “forestall folly.” Imagine a balanced, “stable” life in which class work assumes a high priority on the list of “things to do.” On exams and assignments, it becomes less likely that students will “err in action” should they spend time mastering assignments and preparing for exams. Learning becomes the objective in this scenario, and one does not regret the outcome because she/he has learned as much as possible (for her/him). Not receiving a high grade becomes a reasonable disappointment instead of an unfair crisis. In addition, former temptations become just rewards for time well spent. All one needs to do is anticipate the regret he/she could feel if he/she does not do his/her best.
Second, consider the cancerous growth of multi-tasking. Many students are in such a rush to graduate that they take on heavy course loads in order to shorten their times to graduation. Too many classes at the same time leads to a situation in which one course is a distraction from another and some courses may even become temptations that lead to neglect of others. If the goal is to learn, this too is folly. One should anticipate the frustration of juggling too many classes; if one can envision that late in the semester she/he will resent that frustration, then she/he should take fewer courses. Thus, “err in action” can be avoided.
I am mildly tempted to feel apologetic for offering this advice in that some might wonder “who is this person to tell others how to tackle an education?” For starters the advice was originally Daoren's, not mine. Additionally, I can only speak from experience; I observe the majority of students that I teach each semester attempt to balance far too much, prioritizing goals over process (in my opinion). Each semester, I watch untapped potential wander through the university and continue on its way, unfazed. If I thought and said nothing I would grow frustrated and resentful, and I would “err in action” in my teaching and scholarship as a result. That too would be folly.
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