--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are times when I long to sweep away…" description: "\"“There are times when I long to sweep away half the things I am expected to learn; for the overtaxed mind cannot enjoy the treasure it has secured at t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/helen-keller-429_college_there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-awa_2631813.jpg" --- # There are times when I long to sweep away half the things… ![“There are times when I long to sweep away half the things I am expected to learn; for the overtaxed mind cannot enjoy the treasure it has secured at the greatest cost. ... When one reads hurriedly and nervously, having in mind written tests and examinations, one's brain becomes encumbered with a…” quote by Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/helen-keller-429_college_there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-awa_2631813.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/helen-keller-429_college_there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-awa_2631813.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/helen-keller-429_college_there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-awa_2631813.jpg) > ““There are times when I long to sweep away half the things I am expected to learn; for the overtaxed mind cannot enjoy the treasure it has secured at the greatest cost. ... When one reads hurriedly and nervously, having in mind written tests and examinations, one's brain becomes encumbered with a lot of bric-a-brac for which there seems to be little use. At the present time my mind is so full of heterogeneous matter that I almost despair of ever being able to put it in order. Whenever I enter the region of my mind I feel like the proverbial bull in the china shop. A thousand odds and ends of knowledge come crashing about my head like hailstones, and when I try to escape them, theme goblins and college nixies of all sorts pursue me, until I wish – oh, may I be forgiven the wicked wish! – that I might smash the idols I came to worship.”” [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overwhelming information overload hinders deep learning and enjoyment. **In simple terms:** Too much knowledge crowds the mind. Key Takeaway Simplify and focus learning. Themes education overload focus Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - studying - exam preparation - mental decluttering Key Concepts Cognitive load mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you filter essential knowledge? - What strategies reduce mental clutter? 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A thousand odds and ends of knowledge come crashing about my head like hailstones, and when I try to escape them, theme goblins and college nixies of all sorts pursue me, until I wish – oh, may I be forgiven the wicked wish! – that I might smash the idols I came to worship.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Keller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-away-half-the-things-i-am/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "College" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-away-half-the-things-i-am/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/helen-keller-429_college_there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-awa_2631813.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/helen-keller-429_college_there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-awa_2631813.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/helen-keller-429_college_there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-awa_2631813.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are times when I long to sweep away half the things I am expected to learn; for the overtaxed mind…” — Helen Keller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Helen Keller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There are times when I long...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-away-half-the-things-i-am/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/there-are-times-when-i-long-to-sweep-away-half-the-things-i-am/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```