It's nearly impossible.

Sometimes I can't help but think: Is it worth it?  

I've been rather frustrated with this whole not-enough-hours-in-the-day thing.  I want to learn!  ...and I feel like I'm doing very little learning in this fast-paced college setting.  So, here is my frustrated theory: 

What's the point of learning five subjects all at once at an accelerated pace, probably forgetting the majority of what you learned within a few weeks of the final exam?  Learning multiple things at once, sacrificing sleep, social life, family time, and general well-being, drowning every day... and for what? 

Are we actually learning anything, besides how to study and how to take a test?  Those are only worthwhile skills for a few years of your life - and then what?  You forget them.  Sure, you teach them to your children so they can be trained to be fast-paced learners as well.  But for what?  What's the point?

Honestly, I really do Love learning.  But is true learning even happening in this setting?  Real learning takes time.  It takes effort.  It takes a desire to attain information and to grow from the things you find.  Learning means asking questions, and being perfectly fine when you end up with more questions than you began with.  Why?  So you can learn more.  Learning is slow and beautiful.  Learning is an Art Form, and as someone who I'm sure is presently quite famous once said: "You can't rush art."  

So, why do we rush learning?  Why are we assigned mere weeks to inhale a classic novel that should be slowly feasted upon and analyzed over the course of months?  Why do we cram in the basics of a language, something so complex and beautiful that it should not, and truly cannot be skimmed over?  Why are we expected to learn ten new concepts a day, for five different subjects - every day?

So we can hurry-up-and-be-successful in the world with out hard earned college degree?

Well, yes.  But think about this:

We all know we live in a world of instant gratification.  Has that transferred to how we are taught to learn?

Faster.  More.  Get it done, get it done right, and get it done NOW.

Is this how we are expected to learn; because there aren't enough hours in the day - and often not even enough brain power - to learn any other way?  Do we skid across the surface, every once in a while dipping in and finding something worth while?

I think we do.

Think of a ball, skidding across the grass when it's been kicked too hard.  Think of a boat on choppy waters, jumping, bumping, and skidding when the driver attempts to make is go faster than it should in such conditions.

Learning - this is our choppy waters.  Learning is tough.  Learning is involved.  Learning can even be dangerous, and we are attempting to drive too fast.  We are skidding  

and it is painful.

Learning should be more like swimming.  What we are now doing is increasing our potential for injury, and thus our potential of drowning.

That kickball is us.  That bumping boat is us.  Is this how we want to learn?

I've got something to say to this whole thing:

I'd rather swim.