I’ve changed the title of my blog just a little bit. Instead of “The Ramblings of An Eternal Student”, it is now “The Ramblings of An Eternal Student of/for Life”. What’s the difference? Well, there shouldn’t really be any. However, over the past few years there has been a proliferation of blogs by young folk (of course) who have been in school for a while and think they’ve earned the title “eternal student”. Just do a Google on ‘eternal student’ and you’ll see what I mean . . .
What a load of balderdash! You young folk have little idea what the word “eternal” implies. Neither do we old folk, but we’ve spent a lot more time pondering it. And if you’ve really got the stuff to be a true “eternal student”, then you will too. If you hit the age of 35, 45, 55, etc. and you’re out there struggling in the real world, but you still have something inside that draws you to books and articles so as to learn new things; and if you’re watching PBS shows and listening to Teaching Company lectures or taking on-line courses so as to better understand what you’ve seen and felt over the years – well, maybe then you’re a real E.S. But as to you people in your early 20’s just trying to stay out of the working world for a few more years, well . . . then fine, call yourself an “eternal student”. But you’re not an eternal student of and for life, as in “real life”. Not yet, anyway.
Jim,
And then there are the 24 or 25 year olds who make statements like: “I’m burned out.” All I have to say is PLEASE!!!! What such twenty-somethings mean is they don’t feel like getting up and going to work the next day.
And yes, my first acquaintance with the term “eternal student” was to mean those students who preferred to change majors–yet again–to escape having to actually get a job.
However, your use of the term is certainly a unique and exactly to the point one. You definitely qualify as someone who can be called an “eternal student” because of your interest your life-long interest in learning.
MCS
Comment by MCS — April 22, 2008 @ 2:06 pm
Jim,
And then there are the 24 or 25 year olds who make statements like: “I’m burned out.” All I have to say is PLEASE!!!! What such twenty-somethings mean is they don’t feel like getting up and going to work the next day.
And yes, my first acquaintance with the term “eternal student” was to mean those students who preferred to change majors–yet again–to escape having to actually get a job.
However, your use of the term is certainly a unique and exactly to the point one. You definitely qualify as someone who can be called an “eternal student” because of your interest your life-long interest in learning.
MCS
Comment by MCS — April 22, 2008 @ 2:06 pm