Letters from the dorm: The importance of thinking for yourself

In an age when the internet is bombarding us with more information than ever before, it is very easy to conform to the mainstream views and lose one's individuality if we aren't careful.

Of course, the internet can be a saviour when it comes to finding out how to make scrambled eggs or the involvement of Lenin in the first world war. However, it seems to have recently become an intellectual prison, where we started forming our opinions mainly based on other people's views on social networking websites.

One of the things a university education has taught me is to think in broader terms - not only about my own perspective, but also why people of opposing views would think that way. It surprises me how much easier it is to take the shorter route and go with the flow without thinking through the issues ourselves. By limiting our views to one-sided opinions by others on social networking websites, we are really just staying in the comfort zone and being reluctant to find out about the issues ourselves. You might argue: "I don't have the time." If the issue matters to you, make the time.