This personal essay reflects on the deeper purpose of education beyond professional and financial achievement. Written from the perspective of a Taiwanese student who is the first in his family to study at an American university, the essay argues that genuine education — like a well-chosen book — inspires values, shapes character, and helps individuals realize their full potential. Drawing on personal background and a metaphor of a great bookstore, the writer articulates why selecting the right educational institution is a critical step in personal development and the pursuit of a fulfilling life.
Imagine finding yourself in one of the most marvelous bookstores in the world. Rows upon rows of books in various sizes, thicknesses, textures, and depths fill your eyes. The air smells of fresh pages and ink, mingled with excitement for knowledge, wisdom, and the promise of inspiring imagination. Everything is waiting to be opened, read, digested, learned, and lived. Every book is a source of something.
A good book inspires knowledge, wisdom, imagination, and learning. It inspires an individual to live by whatever lesson is gleaned from it — whether that was the intended lesson or simply an insight into something deeper. A good book inspires values. And in much the same way, an educational institution inspires the learning and realization of values. As academician and author William Inge said, "The aim of education is the knowledge not of fact, but of values."
Over time, it seems that most people have lost their understanding of the true sense and significance of education. Many believe that education is simply a requisite phase of life — a passage before one is old enough to handle the pressures of the real world. To some, it is a primer: a short succession of carefully crafted lessons offered as preparation before adult life begins. To others, it is a determinant of success in life, which is most commonly measured in financial terms. And still others hold many different views altogether.
As a foreign student from Taiwan, I come from a country that places high regard on education. I consider myself lucky and privileged, as I am the first person in my family to attend college. That I am able to study in the United States is an even greater honor — one that pleases me enormously. I consider it a great gift to be the only person in my family who has had this opportunity.
Perhaps it was my parents who instilled in me the value of a good education, or perhaps it was a collective value that people in my country hold and treasure. Taiwan's strong emphasis on education is well established, and I feel that cultural foundation deeply. Whatever the source, the genuine significance of any instilled value lies in the true realization of its worth — an individual act that inspires the embracing of that principle in one's own life.
"Education as a shaper of individual character and growth"
"Why selecting the right institution matters deeply"
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