The notion of learning has received tremendous attention throughout human history as a major factor for self-development and goals achievement. Contrary to what many people think, learning is not limited to classroom settings. Early humans in ancient history, for example, had to learn many things to be able to survive in that tough environment.

They had to figure out how to start a fire to stay warm, how make hunting tools to feed themselves, how to make textiles from simple raw materials, and how to process clay to produce ceramic containers like bowls and jars which marked significant transformations in human history.

Undoubtedly, the learning process changed a whole lot everywhere in the world. Learning outcomes have become much less than anticipated. Modern day students seem to have certain learning challenges related to their desire to acquire knowledge, willingness to develop new skills, and readiness to promote various techniques, strategies, and behaviors that will certainly determine their own professional growth.

One way through which boys and girls can overcome those difficulties is to answer a simple question: Is learning a pleasure or a burden? If learning is perceived as a pleasure then you start to change proactively to enjoy any learning situation and consider it a pleasant experience. Perceiving learning as a burden leads you to feel that you are unable to achieve simple tasks even if you are smart enough to master more advanced tasks. After all, it is important to experience the world as it neutrally is and not to be deluded by negative feelings.

In a rapidly-changing world students tend to make many decisions and also change their minds very frequently about different matters in their life. In most of the cases, those young men and women are not aware that they go through certain mental processes that shape the way they solve problems and make decisions.

One of the most important decisions that high school graduates take is what to study in college. In such a situation, students find many alternatives, which might lead them to confusion. Students who follow objective rational steps in considering the available options usually take the right decision, choose good majors, and finish college successfully. In contrast, students who tend to be emotional usually make hasty decisions in the spur of the moment, switch majors, get low grades, and may drop out of school.

Rational thinking is always important to reach good results. According to Herbert Simon, a Noble Prize winner in 1978, rational thinking in problem solving and decision making leads you to maximize profits through realistic understanding of the context and accurate consideration of the preferences.

To stay successful, you need to analyze any complex situation and interpret the related issues in order to establish a clear picture of the potential pluses and minuses. People are happy when they follow rational behavior, which helps them make good decisions and navigate through the available options successfully. Students with positive attitudes and rational behavior enjoy studying and get the most out of their college years.

— Fahad Alqurashi, Ph.D

Department of English, Umm Al-Qura University