Most schools have a set of general education requirements, or gen-eds, which enrich students’ education by exposing them to a broad range of subjects. Yet, they are often met with loathing. People complain that gen-eds aren’t in the subject of their major and they take up their time, which is true. It may even be the case, as some claim, that colleges just want your money. Yet none of that makes gen-eds useless. Rather, they are an extremely influential part of the college experience that we shouldn’t take for granted.
Let’s start by acknowledging that every experience you have in college shapes you. College is about more than just major requirements; It’s also about the friends you meet, the mistakes you make (in and out of the classroom), the life lessons you learn and the sense of self that you forge. Everything you do strengthens your mind and increases your awareness of the world around you, and all this together prepares you for the life you are going to lead. Gen-eds and the new perspectives they provide are part of that.
They encourage cultural and social awareness through both the diversified content and the diversified students taking the courses. Throughout my gen-eds, I have learned about the horrors of trench warfare firsthand through poetry from World War I, discussed how the convolution of the English language can be used by the upper class to retain power and acquainted myself with various theories of why countries go to war and how to prevent it. I have also met students majoring in psychology, political science, nursing, data science, English, fine arts and more.
As an environmental engineering student, I value interacting with the students outside my small program of around 30 students and getting to hear from diverse voices. As a future engineer, I recognize the importance of understanding various perspectives, whether they be from war poets or my peers, which will empower me in my career to solve multifaceted problems and serve diverse communities.
And I don’t think this is isolated to engineering majors. Anyone in any career has the potential to interact positively and productively with the world, and we unlock and foster this ability by looking at the world through various lenses, like philosophical, analytical, political or otherwise. So yes, gen-eds are actually relevant to your career.
And they don’t have to be boring! There are hundreds (I counted) of different courses you can take at UConn to fulfill your requirements, so there are bound to be some that pique your interest. Maybe that’s “HIST 2210E: History of the Ocean,” “NUSC 1645: The Science of Food” or even “EPSY 2810: Creativity: Debunking Myths and Enhancing Innovation.” Don’t feel like you’re stuck taking basic anthropology or introduction to puppetry (unless that’s your cup of tea).
Now, if at this point you still doubt that you’re ever going to use this knowledge in your life, I’ll say this: that’s a valid concern. After all, why should you waste your time on a pointless subject? But even if that really was the case, it’s also true that college is not just training you for a productive career; that would be trade school. Rather, college is conditioning you for a meaningful life.
Let’s not ignore the fact that educational exploration and the liberal arts are the founding principle of American colleges. Up until the 19th century, colleges didn’t even have majors. Back then, going to college simply meant studying a broad range of subjects like rhetoric, arithmetic and music to expand your mind and practice critical thinking, unlocking the potential to think fully and freely throughout your life. Though education is constantly evolving (which is a good thing), this is one goal that we should hold onto by exploring a multitude of subjects in our college years.
And lastly, even if my above arguments haven’t convinced you, you’re enrolled here, so what can you do? You can’t get around the requirements, so the best use of your time is to try and learn something. I’ll tell you right now, there’s something to be gained from any experience, and education is a privilege; one we are very fortunate to have.
I’m not trying to say that UConn’s general education curriculum is not flawed, limited or imperfect. It is all these things, but it’s still worth a whole lot. So, I say we all should take what we’ve got instead of sleeping on this precious opportunity.