As I approach the second semester of my sophomore year in college, I'm happy to be nearly done with my general studies courses. It is around this time, about three or four semesters in, that college students are able to finally delve headfirst into classes related to the major of their choice. After several semesters full of courses that make us scratch our heads and wonder, "When am I ever going to use this?" we are ready to take the classes that we will actually use in our futures. So in honor of approaching this stepping stone, I thought I'd take a step back and remember my time in gen ed courses.

It's all too common for college students to complain about being forced by their college to take general studies courses, and a valid argument can be made for both sides. However, there are certain situations when the argument for gen ed courses can no longer be made. One specific situation is when students are dead set on the major they have chosen. A common argument for gen ed courses is that they give college students the chance to experience new things they did not have the chance to learn about in high school. This new experience may cause them to change their mind about their major, or can help undecided students make a decision about what they want to study. But as a very dedicated Zoo Science major, who would never dream of changing my major, general studies courses simply feel like they are taking time, money, and credits away from my major specific courses.

Another common argument for general education courses is that they can be used as GPA boosters, and in some cases they really can be. Many students will add one or two to their schedule, even in the late stages of their education, because they will often be low stress, low work courses that can be considered the "easy A" course. But this argument is destroyed when a professor decides their general studies course is the most important class you will ever take. Every college campus has at least one professor, who just so happens to be the only one who teaches the course, that give tons of homework, papers, exams, and other wise stressful assignments just because they can. The one professor upper-classmen warn freshman about, but know there is nothing they can do because all majors have to take that course. The one gen ed professor who seems to have made it their job to ruin GPA's the best they know how, and do it with a smug grin.

With all of this complaining you'd think I would want general studies completely abolished. But that is not the case. I just believe students should have more freedom to choose the general studies courses they take instead of being forced to take them by the school of their choice. Imagine an art student taking a chemistry course because they truly want to, but not being required to if they worry it may hurt their grade. Imagine a biology student taking a music course because they find it interesting and a nice change of pace from their science courses, but having the option to opt out if it makes them feel overwhelmed. Imagine that one professor never being able to bring down a GPA again because word of mouth would result in no one taking that class.

So, while I do see the value in general studies courses, whether they be to help undecided majors make a choice, as a GPA booster, or simply as a break from their courses, they should never make a students life more stressful than it already is. This is why students should have a choice in the general studies courses they take. Simply putting all of them in a large list like electives and telling students to choose, say twelve or fifteen credits worth of classes, would allow students to get the same experience, while having more control. Students would be able to take courses that actually interest them, instead of what the college tells them they should find interesting. With that system, there would be no more added stress or feeling forced, only the benefits of the general studies courses that students actually want to take.