Education has always played an integral role not only in my family, but in my Persian culture and heritage as well. It is easily among the top three highly prioritized things, alongside family and morals/behavior. For Persians, education is almost like a status symbol; the more educated you are, the more you are to be respected. The “social rewards” for pursing a higher degree is greatly emphasized. That’s not to say that Persians study FOR the social benefit or FOR the status, but it can be seen as a motivating factor. Regardless of these benefits, Persians take their studies very seriously. They are very motivated and determined people. What I find interesting is that, among Persians, the importance of education isn’t taught, it’s sort of implied and has been understood for generations. For example, Persians usually don’t need to “force” their children to study, because most times these children already feel a personal obligation to do so. Persians study for their own good; because they have learned to understand the importance of it.

An example lies with my father’s personal experiences with education. He was born in Tehran, Iran, and was the oldest of 8 children. At the age of 14, he made a decision on his own to leave Iran and come to the United States alone in order to pursue an education. He knew that by coming to America, he would get a much better education than if he were to stay in Iran (though the schools in Iran are very prestigious as well). He didn’t know much English, but he strove to make things work. He applied to schools on his own, found a place to rent, worked a handful of odd jobs and slowly but surely began to build himself up and get an engineering degree. He understood the importance of education and how obtaining a higher degree would make himself and his family better off.

Similarly, I found myself making a decision about education when I was deciding between two different high schools. One of schools—the one that I knew most about because I had grown up hearing about it– was closer in proximity, offered a good education, and had many students per grade. The other school—which I didn’t know much about—was known for its demanding curriculum and strong academic achievement, for the stellar advising, and for the notable teachers. I remember feeling that I would be most comfortable going to the school I knew most about, even though the education wouldn’t be as good. I ended up choosing the school with the more demanding curriculum—putting myself out of my comfort zone for the sake of education. Though the adjustment of a new school was hard, I quickly realized that I made a sound decision.

Having said that, the idea of college was never a doubt in my mind. I always knew I would go to college; not because my parents would make me, but because I would want to. My dad has frequently said that “No one forces you to go to college. It’s a decision you make on your own. You decide to go because you know what’s best for you”. He doesn’t believe that one should be forced to go to college, but rather he hopes that we (my siblings and I) should understand and appreciate value that education can give us!