Halle Brindley – Opinions Editor

Graphics courtesy of Payton Langevin

Honestly, I’d rather know nothing than know everything. Call it a reverse genius. Hi, this is my dropout notice! I’m kidding. 

Truly though, in any learning setting, I would much rather prefer being the person who knows nothing than the one who knows it all. It can feel embarrassing to raise your hand and ask questions in class, especially the ones that feel like you should already know the answer to, but it’s crucial. Now, I won’t go on and say that, “there is no dumb question,” but a majority of questions aren’t! Even the clarifying questions. For instance, my professor may have already said something, but I go Zendaya mode and put that information on replay to hear it again for a better understanding just to make sure I’m supposed to cite it in MLA. 

If you don’t know the answer to something and don’t ask about it, what else are you going to do? Make something up? I don’t think so. 

The recent 2024 presidential debate with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump showed that asking questions can make a huge difference. For example, perhaps candidate Trump would have not said abortion can happen after childbirth if he asked, “What are abortion laws currently like in the United States?” before the debate. That’s the value of a good Q and A!

University is, please don’t take this the wrong way, about more than just drinking. Even Bishop’s is no exception to being a University of Project X. You’re paying to go here, to learn. That’s why you are here. The professors here actually assume you are not an expert in everything. Educators even hope for it, otherwise you’re just wasting your time, you brainiac, you. This might seem obvious, but when your classmates seem to know facts upon facts, you can feel like you are the only one in the class who knows nothing… and that’s okay! 

I asked Associate English professor, Dr. Gregory Brophy, to provide his take on the anxiety of feeling like you don’t belong in a class of people who appear to be both the Q and A’s, to which he said:

“Listening to the insightful comments your peers make in class can be intimidating, and I’ve spoken to many students who’ve told me they feel as though they’re the only person in the room who doesn’t understand what’s going on.

The reality is that every student has those questions. Some hold them silently, not wanting to expose the (scandalous!) fact that they’ve arrived at university without already having all the answers. Others boldly raise their hands, and press the professor to slow-walk an idea they’ve sprinted through (always a productive and challenging exercise for me). In so doing, they earn the gratitude of every peer who wondered, but didn’t dare to ask.

Intellectual uncertainty, and on a larger level, the academic struggles that every student experiences at some level, are not indicators of your intelligence. They are opportunities to reflect and grow.”

So, yes, I would rather know nothing. By the time you start collecting dust on your shoulders, like me, you will know so much more than when you first stepped into university. You will have become the class genius you were once in awe of.

And by the way, I still ask questions.