Ryan Grgurich

Student

“I couldn’t stand high school, but I’m so happy to be studying at SMC. Everything is on a higher level and it's serious learning.”

Ryan Grgurich, first semester SMC student, has a word for the wise: philosophy. “Too many people get stuck in the scientific way of looking at everything, and they don’t question a lot of the possibilities we have around us,” says Ryan. “There are a lot of alternative ways to look at the world, and I think people should look at that. Philosophy teaches you to ask a lot of questions. And I’m trying to answer a lot of questions for myself about life and where I’m going. I’d like to be an enlightened person,” he continues. “And it’s been great to study with Christine Holmgren. She’s helped me find a lot of answers to some big questions already.”

Ryan has joined up with SMC’s Philosophy Club, where he and like-minded people can get together to kick ideas around. “Tomorrow we’re discussing capitalism and communism and the differences between the two,” he said. But Ryan’s taking additional steps as well to help him answer the Big Questions. “It’s always been a goal of my life to go to France and I’m learning French now,” he says. “I’d like to be able to read the ideas of French philosophers in their native language. And if I speak French,” he adds with a laugh, “even if I don’t understand what they’re saying, at least it will sound beautiful!”

Ryan reports that making the transition to college was actually a relief to him. "You’re not treated like a child here and there’s no competition with things like who’s the most popular. It’s laid back, but it’s also intense because we really have to perform now. There’s nobody looking over your shoulder at SMC. The serious teachers are here, the serious classes are here. And it’s up to you to make what you want of the rest of your life.”

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