Thursday night after Freshman Seminar my mother called me and asked me how was class and all I could say to her was “amazing”. As I sat there listening to Dr. Carr’s lecture I was so inspired by all of the captivating information he was sharing with the class about our people and our history. Throughout the whole week I heard rave reviews about this week’s lecture in freshman seminar from the previous classes but little did I know how much of an impact this lecture would have on my thought process.
Dr. Carr stated “Learning is the acquisition of knowledge. Wisdom is knowing what to do with the knowledge.” This quote is defiantly what stood out to me the most from is lecture and was so inspired by it that I felt the need to post it on my face book page as a status to share this piece of knowledge that I learned with my friends and family so that they too could take something from the lecture. A wise person is not determined by the amount of information that one learns. A wise man is one that goes beyond what they have learned by spreading this knowledge with others, by educating younger generations so that they too can become knowledgeable.
As the lecture continued Dr. Carr went more in the depth about learning and wisdom by introducing us to the concept of Mbongi, a think tank or common shelter. Mbongi embodying many traditional African functions is a place where everyone is allowed to speak with clarity and authority. It is a way for people to share their thoughts freely. Dr. Carr continued to explain to us that not only have we taken part in an Mbongi in this class, with the evaluation sheets that we filled out but we have experienced Mbongis in our daily lives both socially and academically. As a Howard student I am a part of a Mbongi because I work with other students to create an environment in which we can share our knowledge with others.
I was also greatly interested when Dr. Carr began to speak about education in the African American community. Education to me is one of the most crucial factors in life. To be successful one must receive an education. As stated by Dr. Carr “modern education is linked to the economy of the state” meaning the more education that you have the more successful one will be. Especially in today’s day and age a person’s degree is very important to getting a job, which is in high demand these days. Education is a gift in more ways than one and more African Americans or people in general need to realize that.
I’ve always been told my parents that I will never be handed anything and to get what I want I must work hard and make some sacrifices. Even though I’m away from home I can still hear my mother’s voice telling me “the early bird gets the worm”. Dr. Carr’s statement only enforced what my mother has been teaching me all along, he said “most of life is just about showing up”. It is not exactly what my mother has been drilling into my head but it defiantly is a spinoff of her teachings. Too often opportunities are missed out on because one does not show up. College is a place with so many opportunities but one most go out and get them. My lesson of that day was to take part in events, go to class, join an organization, just SHOW UP. Showing up is half the battle; you never know what opportunities are hiding behind a door.
Overall I think that this was a fantastic lecture. I have been raving about it all week to everyone that I have been in contact with that’s how amazing I thought it was. Not only did I learn so many new things I have also realized that maybe I should reevaluate some things in my life and make sure that I am on the right path towards a successful future. I look forward to next week’s lecture and hope that it will be as inspiring as this one.
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