ABSTRACT
When you first encounter sociology in a university environment, it is not simply the discipline that poses a challenge. There will be other novel expectations facing you. You will notice or have already noticed that one of these expectations is to become and be an independent learner and thinker. The sooner you mange to develop into one, the easier your life is going to be at university. Initially, you may be thinking: ‘How hard can it be to become an independent learner/thinker? Being independent means that I can do whatever I want, doesn't it?’ Though we can see and appreciate your logic, being an independent learner is a slightly different animal and is probably more demanding than you may have thought. First of all, remember that regardless of who you are and where you are, you will always be, more or less, regulated by social structures (e.g. see our discussion on Foucault's concept of power in Chapter 9). Hence, you cannot do ‘whatever you want’. Your freedom and independence are relational (i.e. you are free to act within the already established rules). In other words, to gain your ‘freedom’ and ‘independence’, first you need to learn about external constraints — in this case, the rules of engagement at your university. Learning about the system and expectations will help you see where you are socially positioned and what you can and cannot do in that particular social milieu in that given time (see discussion on personal troubles versus social issues in Chapter 2). That is, learning the rules and expectations will set you free(er) and will allow you to more effectively negotiate your way through your degree. For instance, knowing that you have access to interlibrary loan services but that sources ordered through that service may take up to one week to arrive would help you increase the 206quality of your project and manage your time. However, not knowing about interlibrary loans and how much time it may take for your order to arrive could greatly disadvantage you. So, read student handbooks, module guides/outlines, and assignment briefs very carefully, as those are both your ‘prison guards’ and the key to independence!
