The Purpose of Education (Our English Syllabus)

The Purpose of Education (Our English Syllabus)

What’s the real purpose of our education? Seriously, before I read this article, I never thought this question before.
I was send to Calvin by my parents, I chose Calvin because of the scholarship and Christianity environment, but what is my real purpose to be here?
When I was young, my parents told me the best way to get a job is to have a higher education. They are expecting me to get a college degree and later a master degree or PHD. Growing up under such a circumstance, in my mind, my purpose for going to college is to get a good job later. Until I read this article, when C.S. Lewis said, “You see at once that education is essentially for freemen and vocational training for slaves.” I think that I should reconsider my purpose for being a college student.
According to our culture, people go to college not because that they will enjoy the college life, instead, they go there since they have to. In China, it will be really really hard to find a job if you are only a high school graduate. I know someone who went to other colleges. They worked very hard everyday, and tried to finish their college as soon as possible. They barely have friends since they replace all their social life by studying time. Of course, someone finished their college degree in three years. But they seemed really unhappy. They thought study is everything. But is that really true? In my opinion, they wasted three years of their life. No joy, no happiness.
In class, we discussed that people usually don’t learn much in College. Honestly, I disagree with that. I think college is one of the most important stages when people started turn from a premature teenager to a mature adult. We are not only learning from classes, but learn from real life. We have to learn how to corporate with friends, how to work (most students found internships during their junior and senior years) and so on.
After all, college is all about learning. We were here being educated, but at the same time, we are learning from every kind of field but not only our majors.
From this view, I really like Calvin College; we are not only learning to find a job, but to find a way to live.