I’m not sure what to think of this year. I still can’t quite tell whether or not it ended abruptly or with a slow burn. I guess that depends on when you think the year ended. Did it end in March or is it ending now? 

One of my teachers, Chad Doty, has a saying that goes “grow in knowledge and wisdom.” He always said that at the end of class, never at the beginning. I never understood why until now. 

You see, during class we are expected to grow in knowledge and wisdom. We don’t need a reminder. We spend entire semester’s reading and reciting the works of Shakespeare and the tales of Odysseus, all the while absorbing their wisdom. After class, though, we forget that education, or knowledge and wisdom, doesn’t have to come within the confines of a classroom. As Doty was reminding us, it is our responsibility to seek it outside of school. 

So if we lived by those principles, I guess we could say that the school year is just now coming to a close. A slow burn, sure, but the flame survives nonetheless. For some, at least. 

There are some of us (most of us probably) that burned out weeks ago. Honestly, I myself qualify. Truth is that for me, school really ended in March. Yes, I’ve turned in my work and taken my exams, but have I truly grown in knowledge and wisdom? No, not to the best of my ability. 

I know that people don’t usually change their ways but starting now, I will try. It may seem too late as school is practically out, but as Doty reminded us, you can seek knowledge and wisdom anywhere. I hope you all attempt the same.