Coming to college, I was delighted to take classes that differed from the traditional high school curriculum that I’d been subjected to for the previous four years. College is widely considered an opportunity to explore your interests and branch out. It’s also probably the only time in your life when you’ll be able to make your own schedule and have the option to learn about almost anything you could want to know from professors who are experts in their respective fields.
Most students have to take general requirements and classes to complete their major, but you might find that even with those classes, you have room in your schedule to take electives that explore other interests you have or give you a taste of something you know nothing about. In order to take advantage of all that college has to offer, these are five types of classes every collegian should take advantage of before those four short years are up.
Women's and Gender Studies
Why you should take it: Feminism is a big deal right now, and the gains we’re making towards gender equality are worth reading up on. You’ll probably never get another chance to learn about women’s history and rights from an expert in the real world, so take advantage of the opportunity while you have it. Besides debunking many of your misconceptions about feminism and gender roles, a women’s and gender studies class will make you look at many of our societal norms — like why we consider it polite for a man to hold a door open for a woman — in new light.
Art History
Why you should take it: Unless you have the time, money and patience to visit famous works of art all over the world, you may never get another chance to learn and experience this stuff. It may not be entirely useful if you’re looking to pursue a career in something like finance, but the cultural knowledge you’ll gain may come in handy at other times — this is the surefire way to guarantee you’re not the only one at the dinner party who doesn’t know who Michelangelo is.
Religion
Why you should take it: Learning about a belief system completely different from your own for educational purposes can be an exercise in broadening your ability to think critically. You’ll be forced to consider the way others see the world and the benefit will last far beyond your semester-long class. It’s also incredibly interesting to see the way religion influences culture and to consider the similarities and differences between religions. You might be surprised to learn that a belief system that seemed totally foreign actually isn’t so far from your own.
Public Speaking
Why you should take it: No matter what you plan on doing in your career after college, good communication skills are going to be important. Being able to give an effective presentation, speak confidently and clearly, or engage an audience effectively are invaluable skills and are sure to help you not only land a job after college but to succeed in whatever you do as well. Not to mention, it’ll probably also be useful during the remainder of your time in college by giving you an advantage in your school presentations as well.
Computer Science
Why you should take it: It’s no secret that technology is running our world these days. A basic knowledge of computer science and coding will probably be useful to you at some point in your career no matter what you end up doing. It may seem daunting at first if you know very little about how computers actually work, but knowing this stuff has a big payoff.
