Education for a lot of students, including myself, is something that is very important and something that we understand the need for. With it, we are able to see and understand the world around us in a new way that not only allows us to learn more about what we are passionate about, but also the world around us.

When it does come to formal education such as a university or even a community college, it is far from a walk in the park. Not only do students spend up to 18 hours in class a week taking notes, exams, or even writing papers, students then go on and spend countless hours outside their classroom driving themselves sick by staying up all night studying for an exam. Or even perfecting an art project that is not up to their standards to the point where they feel lucky to even get an hour of sleep.

In today's society, this lifestyle is a norm, with professors and even fellow students stating things like, "You are in college, what do you expect?" But in reality, getting an education is way more than hitting the books and stressing about getting a perfect 4.0 GPA; it is a time which you learn so much more than the reconstruction period after the civil war or even the environmental impact that aerosols are having on the ozone layer. But a time where you get to learn what you want out of life and life lessons you would not learn anywhere else.

OK, I know, hitting the books and studying are very important, but it should not get in the way of learning what life is all about. Outside the classroom there are an infinite amount of lessons that no professor, book, or even an article, can teach you; it is completely up to you to go out there and experience life the way it is supposed to be. When you are in a setting that allows you to learn new things about yourself, it ultimately helps mold you into a new person, and potentially, a better you. This is because of the people, and even life lessons that helped you get you where you are now.

At the end of the day, you need to make a conscious effort to go into the world to explore and put yourself out there so life can teach you what it is all about. So, get out there. Put down your book, take a break from studying, and go do something that you have been yearning to do. It is OK to occasionally skip class, and it is OK to push yourself to go out and experience something new. Go out and live your life and learn something from it.

Trust me, you will not regret it.