As the semester is coming to a close and our blog posts are reaching their completion, I figured I should centralize the last post around the idea I began with and how it has transformed over this journey. When I began this blog, Sapere Aude, or translated as “dare to know”, my goal was to teach my peers, while also managing to teach myself. I intended to educate them on the world around us and in turn would learn new knowledge as I did my research and presented my findings. This was ultimately unsuccessful as I believed I strayed away from the idea of using the knowledge to enlighten others about the world around us. However, I believe that I helped keep the readers of my blog informed about educational opportunities here at Penn State. This metamorphosis of my idea bothered me at first, but I found solace in knowing that I hoped my readers were gaining new information. Something didn’t sit right with me about what I was writing.
I realized that I had been learning more in depth information about topics I already knew and seemed comfortable with, and I am disappointed in my stasis. This all began to change when we started thinking of ideas for our public controversy project. Usually, I form my projects around a topic I am already familiar with. Most times this is history, politics, or current issues. However, my group members unknowingly challenged me to learn about one thing I had no idea about: nuclear energy. Although I am very happy with the rough draft of our project, and have full faith in my other group members to create something great with me, this topic really bothered me at first.
If you know me at all, you would realize that science is NOT my thing and when I do have to make an argument around something based in science, it usually has to do with policy or an issue it’s creating in politics. It’s something I do to comfort myself and feeling accomplished when I can speak on the issue without putting in outside work or time.
But not this time. What I was left with was a new thirst to learn what I needed to about nuclear energy to contribute to the group project. The journey learning about nuclear energy and the controversy it has created within our civic life is one that I found to be much more riveting than I originally intended. Although I didn’t get into the minute details of nuclear reactions, I do understand the basic process of how nuclear energy is turned into electricity and the benefits it has on our daily life.
So here’s what I’d like to leave with you in these final words: try something new that challenges your normal ways of thinking, or learn about something you have no idea about. Chances are, you may end up finding out that it’s something you may enjoy. If you aren’t this successful on your first try (or even if you are) keep trying! There are endless things to learn about in our vast universe, and it saddens me that I will never know everything. But I want to die trying. That’s why I am going to keep exploring, questioning, and daring to know.