The Importance of Being Well-Rounded

Registration is a terrifying time for all but the most seasoned of students. DegreeWorks is disorienting, CatCourse is confusing and the pair turn late March and early April into weeks filled with stress and pressure. Not only do students worry about properly completing the registration process, but they also fumble with which classes to take.

A straight-laced path to graduation can be incredibly daunting. Difficult classes, often combined with the pressures of a job or club, can bog students down in the morass of a dull college experience. However, there’s a simple solution to this problem: taking a class exclusively for fun.

For many MSU students, it’s difficult to take a step back. We worry about deadlines and debts, financial aid and family obligations. We struggle with anything that could hold us back from our dreams. However, we will never achieve these dreams if we burn out pursuing an undergraduate degree.

Taking one fun class each semester adds between one and three credits to a student’s plate. The typical undergraduate degree requires the completion of 120 credits, which equals to fifteen credits per semester. Many, if not all, students can afford to add or exchange two to six credits per year for fun classes and still graduate in four years.

No matter how excited you are about your major, every student needs a change of pace at some point during their studies. From bowling to ceramics, students of any stripe can find a class that interests them. The key is to choose a class that’s right for you. If you’re passionate about singing, choose a choir class. If meditation is more your speed, yoga could be a great option.

Exercise classes in particular have a variety of benefits that have been backed up by numerouscounseling organizations and studies. Enormous swaths of the college-student population are affected by stress. Exercise classes provide students with more self-confidence, give them a chance to meet new people and improve student concentration and mood. According to U.S. News, students who take recreational classes develop more physical fitness, which improves their sense of self. They also feel increased levels of happiness, as explained by the College Investor.

However, the most important impact of fun classes is giving students a break. Avery Berg, a freshman who took a social dance class in the fall semester, said, “A simple break in the day can mean so much in the life of a college student.” Participating in fun classes allows students to take on extra credit hours without straining their brains too much. They have the chance to participate in college activities without the pressure of GPA calculations. It’s not about achievement for their major, but instead about giving them joy.

Joy, often discounted within the pressurized American university system, is an important part of the human experience. We seem to forget that students are people too, and we deserve the same happiness as others. Take a fun class. It won’t kill you, and it could even make your semester a little brighter.