There are a few things in life that I am really passionate about, and most of these passions I can directly link to the way my parents educated me, life has influenced my choices, and events that have made me reconsider those choices.  To specifically name some of these passions: Video Games, Books, Politics, and above all else learning. And I don’t mean just sitting down and doing math problems, because–you know that is what you were told to do. I mean really and passionately pursuing the knowledge of (or in) a certain subject, because you need to know the answer.  You may not understand why the answer has become such a big deal, but for the simple sake of learning and education you are now pursuing it.

I love those moments. but for a very long time it has been difficult to articulate what these moments are like, why I love learning, and why I believe the Internet is so important to allow this learning to happen. Leave it to John Green, whom I have stated to absolutely adore (in a non-creepy, admiration type way) to articulate the very emotions and thoughts I couldn’t convey. Ted Talks are one of the great things that the  Internet has brought to learning, and John Green gave a great talk on education  learning, and why it is important to have a community of learners.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in a community of learners, and people who passionately pursue the right to ask questions and debate the more difficult answers. We all have taken this passion of education and learning to different fields of interest, but in the end our dinner table is never filled with “what did you do today?” — it was always “what did you learn today?”

I’m still not sure where I will end up next year as I pursue my education. Perhaps, I will stick with Athabasca and pursue my education in a way that fits my comfort zone. But I have also come to realize that to pursue my education in this way, I will need to find a community of learners to travel with (at least through cyberspace).

For the first time, I found a way to express the passions I have for learning. I found someone who shared one of my most intimate thoughts. I love the Internet and the meeting of minds that is often found in the most unexpected ways.

So to answer the question:  I learned today that procrastination on a paper, can sometimes lead to education in other areas. But in the end, the paper still needs to be done. That education in nontraditional ways can be healthy, appropriate, and lead to an interesting travel through life.  And that even the most strange of passions are there for a reason.