My anthropology class had been in session for about two minutes last week when the girl sitting behind me yawned, “I am so bored.”

“Totally,” another responded. “I can’t wait until this class is over.”

Considering the subject we were studying was the root of human existence, you’d think these girls would have been captivated. But if the thousands of dollars they’d spent just to be there wasn’t enough motivation to spark their curiosity, perhaps there was no hope.

In my brief time here at NIU and in my experience at other schools, I have encountered what feels like an insurgence of this apathy. So many of us, even some who have impressive report cards and persuasive resumes, go about our education as if it were a series of tests and drills. When it comes to extracting meaning from seemingly dry material, many fall short.

Going through the motions can be easier than looking a little deeper and trying to place the relevance of what we are learning – and this is a problem. We all have hopes of good jobs and notable degrees, but when the time comes, will we be qualified to hold them?

To many, going to college is thought of as merely a prerequisite for getting a job. This way of thinking is understandable; we do live in a capitalist society that promotes a money-driven mentality. But by treating our education as a means to an end, isn’t something lost along the way?

Maybe our current economic situation is an example of just that. Those who strive for success in creative professions see political prowess often overriding talent and skill. Many feel our political system is skewed, and some describe our current president as “power-hungry.” If we are expected to construct a more just, rewarding society, why do we limit our educations by approaching them in a money-driven, apathetic way?

A solution to this problem begins with you. Although we cannot expect simply to pull aside a magic curtain and have the weighty truths of humanity revealed to us, we can alter the way we look at our courses. For example, instead of assuming that we are not going to need to know seemingly extraneous material that can’t be related to our chosen profession, think about why so many educators feel this material is important.

More importantly, realize that by welcoming information, as foreign as it may be, into your brain, you are enriching your point of view. As the faces and voices of tomorrow, you have a moral responsibility to be open-minded and well-informed. You may say knowledge is power, but with power comes responsibility.

Finally, if we are paying thousands of dollars for an education, we owe it to ourselves to absorb as much as we can. We should internalize what we are being offered. Education is a luxury not to be taken for granted.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.