--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went to grad school because I wanted to…" description: "\"I went to grad school because I wanted to learn the rules so I would know how to break them. Breaking the rules is saying, 'I'm breaking in, OK? I'm br..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/danai-gurira-14419_breaking-the-rules_i-went-to-grad-school-because-i-wanted-t_2011391.jpg" --- # I went to grad school because I wanted to learn the rules… ![“I went to grad school because I wanted to learn the rules so I would know how to break them. Breaking the rules is saying, 'I'm breaking in, OK? I'm breaking in your very comfortable little house over here, and I'm going to take a room.'” quote by Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/danai-gurira-14419_breaking-the-rules_i-went-to-grad-school-because-i-wanted-t_2011391.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/danai-gurira-14419_breaking-the-rules_i-went-to-grad-school-because-i-wanted-t_2011391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/danai-gurira-14419_breaking-the-rules_i-went-to-grad-school-because-i-wanted-t_2011391.jpg) > “I went to grad school because I wanted to learn the rules so I would know how to break them. Breaking the rules is saying, 'I'm breaking in, OK? I'm breaking in your very comfortable little house over here, and I'm going to take a room.'” [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning the rules provides a foundation, then breaking them creatively drives innovation. **In simple terms:** Know the rules, then break them creatively. Key Takeaway Use knowledge to challenge norms. Themes creativity rebellion learning Mood defiant inspired Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - artistic expression - startup strategy - academic research - social activism Key Concepts innovation critical thinking disruption Questions to Reflect On - What rules could you responsibly challenge? - How does breaking rules foster growth? A Different Perspective Rules can be misused to justify harmful actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking/) [Breaking rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-rules/) [Breaking the rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-the-rules/) [Going Room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-room-252324/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Rules Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-saying-3593188/) [Saying Breaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-breaking-3593187/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [I want to remind people of a different kind of glamour, a different look, and breaking the rules of fashion. I wanna break the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dita-von-teese/i-want-to-remind-people-of-a-different-kind-of-glamour-a-different/) [Dita Von Teese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dita-von-teese/) > [Once you have your basics down, you can start breaking the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-colicchio/once-you-have-your-basics-down-you-can-start-breaking-the-rules/) [Tom Colicchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-colicchio/) > [I always say that it's about breaking the rules. But the secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/i-always-say-that-it-s-about-breaking-the-rules-but-the-secret-of/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [Man breaking the rules of the world like it just a mere mudwall..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yonem-elo/man-breaking-the-rules-of-the-world-like-it-just-a-mere-mudwall/) [Yonem Elo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yonem-elo/) > [“Breaking the rules is addictive, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/breaking-the-rules-is-addictive-too/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [“Life is a game with breaking the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/life-is-a-game-with-breaking-the-rules/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [Sometimes breaking the rules is extending the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/sometimes-breaking-the-rules-is-extending-the-rules/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [In effect we are, bending and breaking the rules of the language. And if someone were to ask why we do it, the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crystal/in-effect-we-are-bending-and-breaking-the-rules-of-the-language-and/) [David Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crystal/) > [“I had artistic classical training, and when you learn the classics for so many years, you might gain audacity, power and confidence to subvert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-roque/i-had-artistic-classical-training-and-when-you-learn-the-classics-for/) [Nuno Roque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-roque/) > [“The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules, but by people following the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-crimes-in-the-world-are-not-committed-by-people-breaking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm taking the chance, walking away, breaking the rules nobody here can tell me what to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki/i-m-taking-the-chance-walking-away-breaking-the-rules-nobody-here-can/) [kiki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki/) > [“While you're sitting there wondering why you've kept all the rules and you still haven't achieved everything you've been promised, someone else has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/while-you-re-sitting-there-wondering-why-you-ve-kept-all-the-rules/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [Sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge… There are two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/sin-is-not-just-breaking-the-rules-it-is-putting-yourself-in-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Creativity comes by breaking the rules, by saying that you're in love with the anarchist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/creativity-comes-by-breaking-the-rules-by-saying-that-you-re-in-love/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [“Three Things to Remember As long as you’re dancing, you can break the rules. Sometimes breaking the rules is just extending the rules. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/three-things-to-remember-as-long-as-you-re-dancing-you-can-break-the/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) ## More by Danai Gurira > [I grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe. And I had a pretty idyllic childhood. I felt that I was kind of this outspoken girl, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/i-grew-up-in-harare-zimbabwe-and-i-had-a-pretty-idyllic-childhood-i/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [I call myself Zimerican. I was born in the Midwest to Zimbabwean parents. My father was a professor at Grinnell College in Iowa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/i-call-myself-zimerican-i-was-born-in-the-midwest-to-zimbabwean/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [People with nothing to hide don't usually feel the need to say so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/people-with-nothing-to-hide-don-t-usually-feel-the-need-to-say-so/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [You look at women like Lena Dunham, you look at how women are kind of crafting their own space on the screen. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/you-look-at-women-like-lena-dunham-you-look-at-how-women-are-kind-of/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [If a story is telling a truth, then why shouldn't it affect everybody?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/if-a-story-is-telling-a-truth-then-why-shouldn-t-it-affect-everybody/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [My assumption is I'm not going to be recognized. But when I am, I'm like, "Dang, you know who I am?" 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I don't like getting scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/i-hate-horror-movies-i-avoid-them-like-the-plague-i-don-t-like/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [I always used to say hybrids would rule the world - people who have an understanding of many cultures and can relate to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/i-always-used-to-say-hybrids-would-rule-the-world-people-who-have-an/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [It's something I've constantly found shocking - all this astounding talent amongst black women that never gets to be seen or heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/it-s-something-i-ve-constantly-found-shocking-all-this-astounding/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [You have to remember that you are part of a craft, and you are constantly building your craft. 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I had been to art school, and I was painting and doing commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/it-was-very-hard-breaking-into-the-film-industry-in-britain-i-had/) [Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/) > [“Turns out there’s a way to give in without losing. You got to find some slack in you. Just this side of your breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-wrinkle/turns-out-there-s-a-way-to-give-in-without-losing-you-got-to-find/) [Margaret Wrinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-wrinkle/) > [I just realized early on when I was breaking out a lot, my skin was super oily and it was confused and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cooper/i-just-realized-early-on-when-i-was-breaking-out-a-lot-my-skin-was/) [Alex Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cooper/) > [I believe that the dissolution of a marriage comes about by the breaking down of self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dixie-carter/i-believe-that-the-dissolution-of-a-marriage-comes-about-by-the/) [Dixie Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dixie-carter/) > [I may have the 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' soundtrack, which I've been told is embarrassing, but come on, there are some good songs on there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floriana-lima/i-may-have-the-twilight-breaking-dawn-soundtrack-which-i-ve-been-told/) [Floriana Lima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floriana-lima/) > [Me breaking up with my Ex is a another girls come up!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/me-breaking-up-with-my-ex-is-a-another-girls-come-up/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [My home is different from my mother's, because hers is filled with beautiful objects that I was always afraid of breaking. My home is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/my-home-is-different-from-my-mother-s-because-hers-is-filled-with/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) [Browse all 751 Breaking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I went to grad school because I wanted to learn the rules so I would know how to break them. Breaking the rules is saying, 'I'm breaking in, OK? 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