Written By Kate Irwin, Account Executive, Global Entrepreneurship Week
Once students enter their second or third year of undergraduate studies, they most likely have a major declared. For some, this may mean having a laser-focus on a specific career path.
College, however, is an ideal time to make the commitment to becoming a lifelong learner with a wide variety of interests. While it is great and important to tailor your experiences in ways that will maximize success in your future career, don’t be afraid to use this time to pursue interests that are unique and varied.
Below are a few ways you can vary your experiences in college:
1. Join different types of clubs
Colleges are well-known for having a wide range of student clubs and organizations. The experiences you have in clubs, whether for professional or social purposes, can give you a good idea of what you want to pursue as a career or as a hobby post-grad. Don’t be afraid to join a group that is slightly out of your comfort zone — the worst that can happen is you’ll learn something. For example, you may join a group that works with photography despite having no previous experience. If even a slight interest exists, join up! It may end up altering what you thought you wanted.
2. Maximize your minors
There is so much focus on choosing the right major that you may overlook the importance of choosing a minor or minors that are interesting to you. It’s great to pair a major with something that will complement your major, but that box does not have to be limited. Look into many different minors offered; there’s a good chance you could find a way to combine it with your major in a practical way. This is especially true for communications students; nearly every industry needs communicators. Also, it’s an option to pick up multiple minors; even if you don’t use one of your minors in your career, you still took the chance to take college-level classes on topics outside your major.
3. Do your research on general education courses
The dreaded gen ed — these mandatory courses can often feel like a waste of time and energy when you dislike them. However, since taking general education courses is still required at Penn State and most universities, you might as well try to take classes that you can actually benefit from. For example, when you take a required health course, schedule a course that you think could actually help you grow in your personal health. If you’ve always had a fascination with dancing but haven’t seriously pursued it, take the plunge and take ballroom dancing as your health credit. Even if it doesn’t lead to a new hobby, it will most likely be an entertaining experience.
4. Read!
This piece of advice may sound oversimplified, but I think it’s the easiest way to become a more well-rounded individual. Reading is a lifelong hobby, but college is a great time to get into the habit of cutting out time in busy schedules to dive into various books. Wouldn’t it be a shame if you realized that in four years of higher education you never actually completed an entire book? Read about something that scares you, something that excites you, something that educates you. There’s so much out there to learn, and reading is one of the easiest ways to do so.
Happy Valley Comm 