Reasons for Attending College

      People attend college or university for many reasons. For example, people want to study more, have to go there to be specialists and so on. But I think many people in Japan regard four years of college or university as moratorium period. And the period can divide into two aspects.

      One case is that people don’t have a clear purpose before their entrance into college. Many junior high school students in Japan have not decided their future during their school life yet. For example, in high school whose grade is high, almost all the students go to college. Many students attend college because their friends go there or their teacher advise them to do. They will decide their future while they are studying in college or university. After entering college, some students can find things they can be interested in soon and study for their future lives or work. They spend four years for their sake. On the other hand others can’t find what they want to do. Students like them may spend four years in vain. But for both the period is moratorium.

      Another case is that people have a definite purpose before the entrance. They have a dream or have what they want to do in college. From the beginning they study what they are interested in there or learn many things to realize their dreams. Their four years will be rich. This case is also moratorium period for them.

      I think there are two types in reasons of attending college. One type has a specific purpose, and the other doesn’t have it. But for both of them four years of college or university are important as moratorium period.

Experience or Books

      Experience and books make our life rich. I believe that both of them are important and essential for us to enrich our life. Therefore I assume that it is improper to say that knowledge gained from experience is more important than the one from books.

      Experience and books are partly alike. For example, we can learn many things from both experience and books. We gain much knowledge from both of them. In addition, they extend our worlds and we can broaden our horizons. Thanks to them, our existence becomes rich and pleasant.

      While experience and books have some different parts. First, I want to think about books. By reading books, first we will educate our imagination. In the world of books, we can go to places where we have not ever gone or see a lot of things that we have not ever seen. We cannot know, however, real and actual places or things that we read and saw in books. By reading books, second we will expand our knowledge of many fields. If someone does not give us any information, we can study or get much information from books. We cannot get, however practical faculty or acquire communications skill only from books.

      Second, I want to think about experience. As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Experience teaches us many important things that books do not teach. It is precious for us to realize something keenly or see real and live things. When we experience something, we are inevitably mixed up with other people. Through experience for example, we can develop the faculty of getting along with others. In fact, we may pass through a difficulty or have a hard time when we face many things. We will be sure, however, to gain something important and learn a great deal through experience of that kind.

      As mentioned above,　I think that it is also important for us to read many books. For, in head we can experience broad world beyond little world of ourselves. But I convince that it is more important for us to undergo real world and know real things. Experience is treasure in our lifetime.

Change in Your School

      I have a suggestion about subjects that we take in university. If I could make one change in our university, I would like to attend other educational institution and be allowed credits that I got there. At present, our university does not have such a system of education. I think that it is very fruitful for us that our university cooperates with some other universities.

      Each university has an original color and a strong point. For example, our university is famous for instruction in foreign languages. I think that we have many excellent teachers and can get a good education. Therefore I am satisfied with classes of German and English. In my opinion, our good aspects had better be opened for many students who attend other college or universities as much as possible.

      In addition, I also want to take several courses of other college. Around us there are various kinds of academic schools and they have a wide variety of departments. Each characteristic and its forte had better be made the most of for many students. Our university does not have a science or welfare department for example. I wish to take solid courses of math, social welfare and so on.

      As I mentioned above, I propose that it would be a very good idea to attend classes in other university. I desire to soak up fresh acquaintance from other educational institution. In the future, I hope that our university will adopt this new educational system. I believe that it is certainly useful and beneficial to many students.