The dreaded four-syllable word of Philosophy tends to ripple cringes across the faces of those in my age group. Difficult questions tend to fry the mind. Existentialist crises weary the soul. And -- Lord unwilling -- if I have a 7-9 night class for Introduction to Philosophy, I may discover the answer to "What happens after we die?" much quicker than I intended.
So, why adopt a philosophy minor as a millennial?
The minor requires less commitment than a major.
Millennials tend to over-commit themselves. Take it from a copy editor for "The Echo," Editor in Chief for Odyssey, actor in "Antigone," maid of honor for my sister's wedding, double major, and "North Hudson Living" journalist, I have enough on my plate to fill up three lives. However, philosophy minors tend to have a lighter load (our school requires only three classes). You can tack on another credit to your diploma with minimal effort.
Philosophy has diverse subject matter.
You encounter thinkers from all walks of life: feminists, former slaves, playwrights, scientists -- you name the group, Philosophy has someone representing it. Millennials often enjoy media which devotes attention to multiple perspectives. I can guarantee in your first class in the minor, you will meet 20 different outlooks.
You learn how to write incredible papers.
Any class from a First Year Experience general education course to Senior Seminar requires you to write at least one paper. Philosophy perfects the logic of your arguments and chips away at grammar, punctuation, and unnecessarily flowery language. If you adopt this minor, your grades on papers should improve.
Philosophy forces you to test what you believe.
Scroll across any article on Facebook, and the comment section obliterates every word used in the piece. Take it from a copy editor's perspective, we scrutinize every phrase. Philosophy strains your thoughts until the ones without strong grounding crumble. It can be a difficult process, but a rewarding one as well.