The Difference Between Education and Learning

The following post was written by our newest intern, Elizabeth Andrews. She reflects on her travels after high school and how that transformed her experience with learning.  

“I feel like a square peg trying to fit in a round hole,” I remember saying to my mom as graduation peeked out from around the corner. High school was coming to a close and I heard the excitement of my friends as they chose to head off to the world of college. I wasn’t; I could not see myself picking a major just for the sake of picking. I needed more.

Instead of college, I made my way to California to see family members in Hollywood and enjoy the sandy beaches. Then Alaska, as part of the NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) team in the wilderness. After Alaska, I landed in England to visit family, and after that, the wine regions of Australia.

It wasn’t until after my travels that I realized I had found joy in learning again. In school, perfection haunted me and I focused only on making A’s. Now, I was taking risks and learning from experience.

Sitting in a Lazy Boy after returning from Australia, I found myself wanting to learn, but not in the same way I had been learning while traveling. I was ready to listen to a professor and absorb information. My brain had energy now, my brain was rejuvenated. I decided I wanted to know myself better by understanding the brain.

I found an online introductory course on neuroscience taught by the University of Israel. For free, I joined the class and started watching lectures. I soon found myself buying school supplies and notebook paper to take notes. I was learning for no one else but myself; there was no pressure to earn a certain grade.

Two years later, I’m still fascinated with the brain and how it works. I’m reading a book now called ‘Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology’ written by Daniel J. Siegel. Forty-three chapters deep, I feel enlightened. I’ve gained more insight into who I am. Siegal states:

Knowing the brain empowers you to transform confusion into insight, self-blame into self-compassion. When we teach others and ourselves about the brain’s mechanisms of energy and information flow, the mind is strengthened as we move from blaming the self for automatic behaviors and instead transform our experience into self-understanding and self-responsibility.

Understanding my brain allowed me to see why I once held learning in a negative light. My brain associated learning with disappointment, stress, failure, fear and the need for perfection. My brain needed to rewire itself in order for my view of learning to change. Without realizing it, I was allowing my brain to change because of the new things I was naturally learning while being in different countries and new places.

Now as an intern at Sol, my brain is expanding in new ways as I conduct research for clients and get into the minds of organizations and brands. Relatability and appreciating people and their differences is at the core of Sol, and I am excited to contribute to that by knowing more about myself and the way we learn.

We’re happy you’re part of the Sol team, Elizabeth!