Now somebody give this young man a box of nametags

Most universities offer some form of independent study. The official definition of this term is:

An educational activity undertaken by an individual with little to no supervision. As long as the student is motivated, they can pursue any topic of interest that doesn’t fit into the traditional curriculum.

Doesn’t that sound exciting? It’s certainly more engaging than studying, say, world geography, the single most boring and difficult and awful course in my college career. But that’s another story.

Now, if you read some of the application forms for independent study programs, most of them indicate similar requirements. If the student plans to undertake research and study beyond the normal offerings, they have to answer several questions.

What is the purpose of your study?
What are your learning objectives?
What are your expected outcomes?
How will you evaluate your research?

I appreciate the spirit of these requirements from an academic standpoint, since most colleges have an approval committee for their programs.

But allow me to make an argument against them.

During my last two years at college, my independent study was wearing a nametag every day as a social experiment. This project wasn’t university approved, it was just something I decided to do on a whim.

And yet, it fundamentally changed my life in myriad ways. It went viral on campus, even before the advent of social media, made me one of the most well known people on campus, and ultimately laid the groundwork for what has now become a successful 20+ year career as a writer.

That was with absolutely zero planning, intention or guidance. Completely organic.

Now, if an academic advisor had asked the twenty year old version of me any of those independent study application questions, here’s how it would have gone down.

What is the purpose of your study?
I’m lonely, I need friends and I want to meet girls.

What are your learning objectives?
 want to see just how uncomfortable I can make myself and others, in public.

What are your expected outcomes?
I haven’t thought that far in advance.

How will you evaluate your research?
I quantify almost nothing in my life, so maybe we’ll just leave that whole evaluation part out of this.

Independent study approved! Now somebody give this young man a box of nametags.

No, it never would have happened. No university their right mind would have sponsored such an absurd, quirky and mundane project like mine.

And that’s a powerful lesson in not waiting permission. A reminder to lifelong learners of all ages for following their curiosity instead of waiting for approval.

Grazer, perhaps most successful film and television producer of all time, writes in his book about curiosity:

Nobody knows that a good idea is before a movie hits the screens. You only know a good idea after it’s done. But the certainty that something is a worthwhile idea is fragile. It requires energy, determination and optimism to keep it going. Just keep asking questions until something interesting happens. And if you only get the answers you anticipate, you’re not being very curious.

Remember, many of our richest learning opportunities have no objective, curriculum, syllabus or grades. But that’s no reason not to stick with them.

My independent study of wearing a nametag everyday probably taught me more about life than all of my college courses combined.

Imagine what education might be waiting for you at the end of our curiosity.

What topic of interest that doesn’t fit into the traditional curriculum would be worth pursuing?