The True Education | Teen Ink

The True Education

May 11, 2014
By alioramus GOLD, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
alioramus GOLD, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
18 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
“That reminds me of a puzzle…”
- Professor Layton


I believe in the power of books. I believe that they can provide education to all who read.

There are lots of things left untouched by today’s simple school curriculums. There are more things that can be learned in school as well as outside the classroom. What can help us with learning these things? I believe that books are the answer.

There are over 100 million books in the world. Books cover almost, if not every single topic on the planet. Now imagine if you read every single one of those books. And I mean read, not skimming through. If you read all of those books, you’d likely be the most informed person in the universe. Not only are books a great source of learning things outside the classroom, they are also good entertainment. Whenever it’s a rainy day, the power’s gone out, or I’m on a long car ride, what can I do? Read. I get pulled into the story and am lost there for hours, maybe even days. Books can pull you under, and you may never resurface for a long time.

Reading has its many benefits. With reading, I’ve improved on my own writing. I’ve pulled favorite writing styles together and combined them to invent my completely unique style. Not to mention, I’ve improved a lot on spelling, grammar, and vocabulary with reading. I’ve been inspired many times to write short stories of my own with all this new motivation and knowledge.

There are also many things that I can do with a book besides just reading it. I can join a book club where we can discuss the book; the characters, the author, the writing, the plot, the mistakes. Readers can look to memoirs and biographies for advice to lead a better life. And for a lot of books that I read, I also write constructive book reviews. Writing these reviews had me recognized by authors who now want me to review their second, third books in the series. Reading other people’s reviews gives me a chance to compare their opinions with mine. I believe that books have made a big impact on my life this way.

Even today, while my writing isn’t all too great, I believe the student who reads becomes a more well-rounded and thoughtful individual. As George R.R. Martin once wrote, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one.” Anyone can learn absolutely anything they want with the power of books, whether it be inside or outside school. Because I believe that books are the true education.


The author's comments:
This was written for a "This I Believe" essay assignment. It had to be between 200 and 500 words, and had to be read in about 3 or 4 minutes. The topic was education, schooling, and learning. I decided to do mine on reading, because I love to read in my spare time (as you can probably tell by my book reviews :D). I hope you enjoy this essay and please rate 5 stars. It means a lot to me. Thanks!

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