Northeastern University - Cauldron Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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Look to your left, Look to your right — One of you won ' t be here when you graduate, President Ryder told us at convocation (pictured below). He was right. Freshman year was NUFOS (how do I get to KV?), registra- tion with 1 billion computer cards (count me in!), parties, par- ties, and more parties (where was I last night?), and special events like Joe Perry (top right). In spite of the fun, we were here (or would remain here) for more reasons than partying. 18 Freshman Year

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SL Freshman Year 17

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What is the purpose of a college degree? Man ' s brain distinguishes him from all other animais, however superior they may be in size, strength or speed. In fact, no other animal has a brain that can even approach the power and ver- satility of the human brain. Whatever disabilities or limitations a man might have, he overcomes them by the utilization of intricate instruments and machines, products of some- one ' s intelligence. The brain enables man to cope successfully with his environment. However, the goal of man is not simply to live, but to live better. Hence, each person strives to develop his own mind to the extent of its natural capacity. For this reason, higher educa- tion exists. Colleges and universities aim to stimulate clearer thinking and help its members to proceed further on their own. The attaining of a college degree requires a combined process of both training and educa- tion in order to be beneficial. First, the in- dividual undergoes training in which he is taught basic skills. However, education is not something that can simply be injected by a hypodermic needle. A person must acquire it by his own effort. Merely knowing the answer is not good enough. Thinking is what ' s impor- tant. Even an animal can be trained, but only man can be educated. The most important function a university performs is to teach a per- son where, when, and how to use the skills he has learned. Once a person knows what to do with these skills, he will realize that his educa- tion has only just begun. Attending a university demonstrates to a per- son that the more he learns, the less he knows and, therefore, the more there is to learn. For ex- ample, if one were to grow up in a totally isolated community, by age 18 he might think that he knew all that one could possibly know. However, if a new idea were introduced to him, such as the existence of another community, his feeling of superiority would be lost. Examina- tion of this new community would reveal the limit of his realm of knowledge. Now, he would have to further educate himself in order to com- pete with others and develop to his greatest ex- tent. Another example is the development of the first simple rocket. The designers of the rocket fully realized its limitations, but in order to build a more improved model they had to learn more skills. In actuality, the educational process never ceases. One never stops learning until the day he dies. A college education introduces this ethic to the individual. It not only teaches him skills, but it teaches him what to do with the skills so that he can continue to improve on them. A university is not successful if it merely pours knowledge into a student. It is successful if it has transmitted knowledge that continues to grow. For this reason, both training and educa- tion are necessary. The purpose of a college degree is to learn how to live to the greatest ex- tent of one ' s natural capacity. This goal can be accomplished by continuing the learning process every single day. College is not merely the at- taining of a profession but the attaining of a philosophy of life. Learn to live, but then live to learn. ■ — Lisa Lantz Freshman Year 19