The Value of College
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I think about how I spend my time in college daily. Perhaps it’s because I’m investing so much time into this place, and giving up other interesting opportunities to be here.
College is a finite experience - almost like a buffer for me before I have to make more consequential decisions, packed with opportunities, classes, and conversations that’ll compound decades down the line for my growth. I’m eternally grateful for how lucky I’ve been to have ended up at this school, and I’m trying to not take for granted all the opportunities at my disposal. This really was something that I’ve dreamed about for a long time as a kid, and I’d have a hard time asking for more.
But I do feel like many people lose track of how lucky they are to be in a place like this, and so, I feel like I’m always thinking about how I’m approaching college, and why I do the things I do. The investment from me and my family is so substantial that I think I’d be doing them a disservice otherwise.
Overall, I think there are two main things I gain from going to college here.
1. Academic Breadth and Depth
I think one of the biggest driving factors in my decision to apply to study in the US was the breadth of intellectual experiences available. Many other countries have their educational system modelled off the British system, where you declare a degree before you apply to university, whereas American colleges prioritise exploration first before choosing a more concentrated plan of study. The probing question to ask myself is usually - what am I interested in that I can I do here that I never would’ve even dreamed of exploring back home in Australia? Like, I wouldn’t even have considered studying pure math, philosophy, or literature in university in Australia - largely because of Australia’s vocational nature, where a university degree is meant to teach you knowledge and skills for the workforce. America is very divergent from this idea in the sense that we are ‘trying’ to prioritise diverse intellectual experiences, with more than half one’s degree being available for elective classes.
However, I do think that among the general student body, we still feel inclinations within ourselves to seek the ‘vocational’ path - to do things that we believe will advance our resume in the hiring and recruiting process, to get stamps of approval for our own egos and validation. It’s as if some believe that Harvard isn’t enough signalling, and that they must dedicate four of the ‘best years of their lives’ to learning how to expertly consult for companies or value multinational companies. I’m sure that there are plenty of students who intrinsically enjoy this, but many of my friends don’t and often complain/drop out of these organisations because they don’t see the value in it. I’m not sure if I do either. Indeed, we have the rest of our lives to work and find ways to make money - when I look at it this way, I really do feel like it seems like there is untapped potential that can be extracted from a place like Harvard. To be fully transparent, I admit that I have no clear idea on what life after college will look like for me, professionally. All I’m doing is trying to explore and trust that the dots will connect looking backward, and I hope that I’ve embraced that.
I think all this reasoning relies on the assumption of opportunity cost. Generally, people who are interesting enough to be admitted to Harvard are likely highly-talented, multi-dimensional people who love to learn. It’s always exciting to speak to people who are exploring their irrational, quirky sides, because I feel like that’s the purpose of Harvard and college in general, especially in freshman year. The big question is - what do you want to do, and why? And for any opportunities you’re considering - what do I get out of it? Do I really want this? College is that transition from your hand being held in high school, to now a sense of accountability and agency. You are your decisions and your actions. You choose what to full send, and what to fade. People are naturally scared of accountability.
A hot take of mine is that most people also view concentrations (majors) in an off way. Of course, I fully support the idea of pursuing what one is passionate in - with the caveat - are you truly, intrinsically passionate in it? The utility of a concentration is two-fold - first, a name that goes on one’s transcript, and second, a list of required courses that one needs to take for a third of their degree. I’ve been advised that especially in America, where a focus is put on liberal arts education, the name of one’s degree matters far less relative to one’s skills and way of thinking when it comes to recruiting and job-seeking. So, the most important thing, I believe, is what classes one takes in college. This may sound naive, especially coming from a freshman, but I think that one college course has the potential to change one’s life and how they see the world. In essence, this is why I oft agonise over course catalogues in order to choose classes that seem most interesting to me.
The danger with a concentration revolves around being forced to take courses that you aren’t intrinsically excited to take. This is especially true in college, because that one course could have been replaced by some niche, random course that would’ve completely changed how you reason and think. I think the most optimal play is to choose a concentration which minimises the courses you have to take which you wouldn’t have a deep passion for. I even think that if a cogent intellectual field appears that will challenge you academically, but also be something you’re deeply excited to explore, many institutions allow you to. The above musings likely preclude those who have deep, intrinsic conviction on what they are interested in, or more importantly, how they want to spend their lives - in which case, godspeed.
2. Opportunity for Social Growth
When I talk to upperclassmen, they tell me that the one thing they’ll miss the most about being at Harvard is the proximity to people - like, I get to see my friends every day here, and they’re five minutes away from me. I live with them, sleep with them, eat with them, study with them, go to class with them, and so on. I’m surrounded by high-performing people, curious and ambitious, from diverse backgrounds. We chat deep into the night about philosophical, mathematical, or economical questions, or we bond over activities like poker, gym, or tennis. The people here really make Harvard - they push me to grow in ways that I never would’ve even dreamed of.
I was told recently by a mentor that college is almost the last chance for someone to build trust through friendships and relationships, especially before I go off into the ‘real world’. College will hopefully bring me friends for life, which is, honestly, priceless. I almost realised quite distinctly that even walking on the streets of Harvard (I think we’re quite a small college), I get to see my friends and meet new ones (following up for coffee), even when on my way to a meeting or an engagement. The people I surround myself with shape the way I think by exposing me to new ideas, not to mention influencing how I think about career paths. Just last week, I had a meal with a friend who inspired me to consider a path that never even crossed my mind - graduate school. Who knows if that’s what I’ll end up doing - it will just be very divergent from who I was as a kid. I’ve realised that Harvard isn’t just about acquiring knowledge and skills through various vocational ventures, but rather, the College’s educational philosophy is about instilling wisdom, teaching a student how to think, how to challenge assumptions, and how to grow as a person.
As a freshman in Harvard Yard, there really feels like there’s a big bubble that we’re trapped in. When I speak to upperclassmen, they seem much more fulfilled and at peace after they are assigned to a House. It’s as if life and college are differentiated things, whereas they’re intertwined in Harvard Yard. In the first few weeks of freshman year, social dynamics are… unique. You want to get out and meet as many people as you can (because they’re all insanely cool people), but at the same time, I think that there’s so much value in switching off and finding time for oneself, in order to process what’s going on and evaluate the direction I’m going in.
I have a page on my Notion called ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ - ideas that I’ve spent time wrestling with but have never been able to find a satisfactory answer to. I think you can use the idea of a buffet to describe college. There are so many delicious foods to enjoy, but how do you choose what to eat? Do you eat the most visually attractive food, with everyone hyping it up on social media? Or do you eat a wide range of things, but only eat one bite of each thing in an attempt to ‘sample’ it all. So, the unsolved mystery, for me, is breadth vs depth. Harvard has such amazing people in nearly all our departments - genuine world leaders in their fields only a few minutes away from where I live. It’s so hard to choose whether I want to immerse myself in a couple select areas, or broaden my perspective by taking way too many fields of study. When one embraces breadth, they sacrifice depth, and vice versa.
My friends and I have noticed that many students are dropping out of college and pursuing the ‘dropout startup founder’ life - which is fair enough. It seems like all the hype nowadays, and some have even noted ‘YC is the new Goldman/McKinsey’. I think there’s nothing wrong with dropping out of college, as long as you know why, and what you stand to gain and lose as a result. The big question, again, is ‘why am I doing this?’ Much respect to those who dedicate large portions of their lives to company which they deeply believe in, but I don’t think it’s for everyone.
As I reflect on my time here, I want to ensure that every decision I make, whether it be academic, social, or personal, is intentional and aligned with my values. College is, at the end of the day, an investment in my future and the person I am becoming, and I want to make the most of every moment.
Interestingly, as I reflect on how I’ve spent my time and college in the past year, I realise that these guiding principles of mine were the exact same as the reasons why I wanted to come to Harvard in the first place, nearly three years ago.
Turn off the noise, listen to your inner self.
Yurui
