A conversation I had recently:

Him: Where did you study?
Me: India. Delhi University. And you?
Him: *laughs* I went to the School of Hard Knocks.
Me: Honey, we all did.
.

I’ve had this conversation in many variations over the years, and each time it makes me ache to be back in school again. Even though my college experience was less than stellar, and I was glad to be finally freed from the clutches of my Information Technology curriculum, I have always enjoyed learning. In high school, I was one of those geeks who actually looked forward to doing school-work. Not all of it, certainly, but I loved loved loved solving math problems. I spent hours poring over accounts assignments, matching debit to credit and playing with balance sheets. I gave up dance (and I was crazy about dance), so that I wouldn’t have to miss English classes. And biology– the human body– fascinated me. I soaked up information eagerly.

I am one of those people who puts a high premium on education, and even going to college for that matter. Yes, I realize the system is flawed. Yes, I realize there’s more to learn in the outside world. And yes, I even realize that it’s money that could be spent on better things. But what it seems to me, is that you’re going to go to the School of Hard Knocks whether or not you went to college, whether or not you want to. Like puberty, it’s something everyone has to live through. Formal education doesn’t save you from it. It doesn’t even protect you from it. But I do believe in formal education. Because it prepares you for it.

College isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure. Those who don’t want to go or feel they have better options, certainly shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t have. At least not at the time I did. I should have waited a few years, traveled, focused on writing, and then gone on to study what I was really interested in. I should have dropped out and saved myself a lot of heartache. My college experience was so horrible, in fact, that it shocked me when just a year after the ordeal was over, I was ready to head back. But I decided to do it right this time and wait till I knew where I was going. I wanted to, and still want to, learn. I want to take writing classes, discuss literature, talk about issues of the day, explore different theories, sit in class and listen to intellectuals talk about things that matter. I know I don’t have to sit in a room full of college students to do all this, but this is what confirms it for me– I want to.

For me, I think it’s not a matter of IF I’ll go back to school, but WHEN. It’s a toss between psychology and human rights law.

What about you? Did you go to school? Would you ever go back? What would you study?