In high school, when I first began seriously considering the next steps of my life, I decided to sign the next four years of my life over to a liberal arts college, with no knowledge at the time of what it meant. I imagine that most high school seniors, and even some college students, are in the same boat, and as such do not truly commit to developing a liberal arts background while in their undergraduate career. There is a quote credited to Thomas Huxley that says, "Try to learn something about everything and everything about something." A liberal arts education is the embodiment of this idea, and general education requirements are the execution.
During the time I've spent in college, it's become apparent that for most people, gen eds are just another obstacle to surpass on the way to obtaining a degree. Some well-organized students figure out how to use these requirements to advance their degree or obtain a second major or minor. While I admire these individuals for planning ahead and working toward gaining an advantage, I can't help but feel like they are missing a great opportunity.
You see, when I pick out my classes for a semester, I prefer to pick courses that interest me (that hopefully also fulfill a requirement). Do these classes always apply to my future aspirations or meet the standard set of courses I need to complete to graduate? No. Most times they apply to required subjects, but sometimes they meet a more important need. They feed my curiosity, sating my hunger for knowledge and squelching my fear of becoming a boring person.
Picking classes based on personal interest creates so many great rewards. For starters, I have always found that if a class or assignment genuinely interests me, I will feel more inclined and excited to complete it. The coursework no longer feels like a chore, but instead an opportunity to grow. Furthermore, when a class does not directly correlate to my major or intended career path, the need to excel or master the information is gone. It's always good to develop a more complex system of thought and diversify my knowledge. However, at the end of the day, a business major, for example, does not need to remember all the different methods of acting they learn in theatre class, but projecting their voice and memorizing monologues may be useful in their future. Every class has something to be taken away, whether it be concrete facts and knowledge, or expanding my skill set.
By picking classes outside my usual bubble, I am also developing a more elaborate understanding of the world and building my critical thinking skills. Taking courses that cover subjects I have no knowledge of can be scary, but it can also bring about new experiences. I met new friends and teachers, placing myself in a new environment of thought. All of this results in more well-rounded individuals.
This is not me saying that people who try to graduate early or with multiple degrees are wrong or are not gaining a great education. Instead, I'm suggesting that you take a class on an insane subject while you still have the opportunity to learn about a seemingly random topic from a well-educated individual. You never know the new things that you will learn and the paths this new knowledge may take you on.
