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Summary of Question:	Why Education?????
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Monday, 5/21/2001 6:01 AM MDT

Hi, i am a strong believer in sikhism, iwould just like to know what is the point in education, going to uni and getting a degree??

Isnt life about experiencing different things and not locking yourself in your room revising constantly????
please reply,
p.s any words of encouragement to help me do better????

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REPLY
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Sat Siri Akal Ji!
There is nothing in Sikhi that says you have to go to university. It is not about locking yourself in a room to 'revise yourself.' There are several reasons to consider university, which you may want to consider. First, in today's working world, a bachelors degree in anything will make you more hirable than a non-degreed person. In fact, depending on where you live, a masters degree is the hiring line, not a bachelors degree. Of course, this assumes there is a field of study that interests you and that you would like to pursue as part of a profession! Other less practical reasons for university are the academic experience, the chance to learn things about the world that you cannot experience anymore. For example, I will tell you personally, that as a U.S. citizen, the class I took on the American founding fathers/Constitution, and also the class I took on Shakespeare and his plays have stayed with me for the past 22 years, and served me personally, and sometimes professionally!

Perhaps you are simply unable to decide a course of study that suits you? Or perhaps you are really a closet artist or musician and find that academic studies that don't include these topics do not suit you at all? Or perhaps you should consider a 'trade' as we say in the U.S., such as masonry, carpentry, electrician, etc. (There is nothing disrespectful about this kind of work!)

Ask yourself what is really causing your discontent about university. (I am unable to discern if you are currently in univ. or considering it only.) Is it parental pressure? Your chosen 'major'? Maybe you need to take a year from any kind of study and simply find a job and get in the working outside world and see what it's about? I did that between high school and college, and I also traveled. It was the best thing I could have done!

I hope these thoughts help. Understand that some confusion at this time in your life is normal. Sit in Gurdwara or with Siri Guru Granth and meditate on your quandry and then take a hukum and see what Guru says. Good luck Ji.

Guru Rakha,
-DKK