“A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard”

Simplified Meaning:

The quote is saying that the speaker learned important lessons and gained knowledge through working on a whale ship instead of attending famous universities like Yale or Harvard. For example, a person who grows up working on a family farm might learn about hard work, responsibility, and nature just as much as someone who studies agriculture at a top college. The farm becomes their classroom, teaching them through life experience rather than formal education. This suggests that valuable education doesn't always come from prestigious schools; sometimes, real-world experiences can teach us just as much, if not more. For someone, this might mean that traveling the world, working, or volunteering can provide important lessons and wisdom. It's a reminder that learning happens in many places and forms, not just in classrooms.