International Education Day: 13 quotes for life-long learning and curiosity
I was homeschooled for twelve years, from first grade all the way through to graduating from highschool. While this had both positive and negative incomes – on my self and in my life – one thing that it instilled in me, and that I will always live by, is a passion for learning and a strong belief that to be constantly learning new things is one of the purposes of our lives.
Today, 24 January, is International Day of Education. Here at All About Writing we’ve chosen to recognise the day by sharing some of our favourite quotes about curiosity, education, and being a lifelong learner.
(Related: We love this comic which illustrates a quote from Isaac Asimov, and this one of a quote from James Rhodes)
“Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or societies kiss on the forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.” – Susan Sontag
“I began to realise how important it is to be an enthusiast in life. If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full-speed. Embrace it, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.” – Roald Dahl
“Trust your instinct. Your instinct says, this is what I’m interested in. Trust that. That’s what being a scholar is about.” – Helenard Louw, lecturer at The University of Cape Town
“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”—Anthony J. D’Angelo
“Fake it till you make it means sometimes you gotta bite off more than you can chew, because you don’t know how much you can chew until you’ve tried. And if you do it with the goal of learning, and getting there, in the process, then you are bettering yourself which is good for everybody.” – Hank Green, author of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
“Never worry about being obsessive. I like obsessive people. Obsessive people make great art.” – Susan Sontag
“Education is really just a process of self-discovery, of developing a sense of who you are and what you think.” – Tara Westover, author of Educated
“The thing that I can say with all certainty is that I know very little but that I am willing to learn, that I feel things deeply, that sometimes the world feels cruel and senseless to me, and that at other times it feels just heartbreakingly beautiful.” – Okwiri Oduor, winner of the 2014 Caine Prize for African Writing
“Education is about becoming a better and more informed observer of the universe, and that’s what leads to a more fulfilling life.” – John Green, author of The Fault in our Stars
“Stick around and stay curious, because curious is a good thing to be.” – Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist
“If you actively think about what you want to write and who you want to read, you will learn so much more than if you just passively accept a curriculum that somebody else has put in place.” – Tara Westover, author of Educated
“You will not grow without attempting to do things you are unable to do.” – Henry Cloud
“It’s a simple and generous rule of life that whatever you practice, you will get better at.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love
Aimee-Claire Smith lives in Cape Town, where she is studying English Literature and working on her first novel. She likes coffee and cats. You can follow her on twitter or Instagram: @aiimeeclaiire
