Does attending university alter the way that we view the world and everything in it?

I still remember my first day of university, Sept. 8, 2021, when I was a student at the University of Toronto. I was freshly out of high school and just started to transition into my criminology program. I was scared, confused and excited. To say the least, I was feeling everything at once. My thoughts were, “What if I fail a class? What if I get poor grades? Will I be able to make new friends? How will I balance my social life?”  

Feeling overwhelmed, I dropped out and in September, 2022, I joined the digital media and journalism program at Wilfrid Laurier University. This was a huge change and a blessing. I went from being a criminology major to something totally different.  

I thought university would be about books and earning a degree. But soon, I realized it’s a place where my ideas have been challenged and my views have expanded. Through new friendships, classes and experiences, university has reshaped how I interact with the world.  

My program has taught me to question everrything before believing blindly,  report stories in a balanced manner, search for the truth and speak for those who might not have a voice.  

In my first year of university, I learned more about Indigenous studies than my years spent at high school. For example, I learned nature is important and holds deep spiritual and cultural significance, with mountains, rivers and forests playing key roles in Indigenous people’s traditions. As basic as it sounds, nature is a crucial part of our world that deserves respect and to be taken care of. 

Similarly, other students have also had a shift in how university has helped them navigate the world around them. 

Khushi Patel, a third-year student minoring in religious studies, explained how her coursework has helped her understand the impact of religion on social conversations.  

“I was attending a tutorial … when the students asked our TA for her perspective on the Punjabi farmers’ protest in India. However, when she said that she disagreed with the way farmers approached the situation she faced immense backlash from Sikh students,” said Patel. “This made me realize how quickly people divide the situation through their beliefs on culture and religion.” 

Patel shared that university taught her the importance of mental growth.  

“As I interacted with peers from diverse backgrounds, I can understand their positions on various issues. This helped me expand my own perspective on such topics … I was able to open up to aspects I might have not considered,” said Patel. 

Ayse Aras, a fourth-year psychology student, said that during her undergraduate years, she learned new skills and gained more knowledge about her major. 

“The hands-on experiences that come with university helped me develop valuable skills beyond the classroom,” said Aras. “For example, in my program’s volunteer experience, I worked with Ukrainian immigrants. This builds more connection with world issues, as well as empathy for people affected by the issues.” 

Aras said she uses the information she has learned in psychology without realizing it.  

“I like having these skills because you start using them almost on a subconscious level, for school, at work and more,” she said. 

I don’t think there’s one definite answer as to how a university has changed a person’s perspective. However, going to university and getting higher education does influence how a person acts beyond university through the experiences they are given.  

This article was originally published in print Volume 24, Issue 1 on Thursday, August 29.