LYNX LIFE LIBRARY

I'm not sure what the first rule of undergrad would be, but I can certainly tell you the second rule of being an undergraduate student is this: you must take core classes. These are referred to by many names, including: general education courses, gen eds, or simply "the core."

No matter what you are majoring in, taking core classes are inescapable. Now, some people dread taking core classes—I did too! The reason I was dreading these courses was because I was set on my major by sophomore year. Computer science was and still is a passion of mine; I have loved coding since starting in middle school! However, that isn't my whole undergrad story. I also had two minors: art studio and Asian studies. Neither of these two minors had anything to do with computer science. In fact, they had completely different class structures, time commitments, final projects, professors, and learning moments. Most importantly I would've never chosen those minors as a freshman. So, how did I stumble onto them? Through taking core classes! I've come away from my undergraduate experience with a very different outlook on the required classes I took. To help you (and past me), I've compiled a short list of how to survive core classes.

Lesson One: Don't compare yourself to others in the class

Some people love the subject. You are taking it for a requirement that you need to fill. That means other students most likely have a preexisting interest and have a higher base level of knowledge than you do coming into the course. It may seem easy for them, and that might be because it's not their first time learning that information or thinking in that way. When I was in a philosophy class for a core class, I had never encountered philosophy outside a general pop culture understanding and did not have a good baseline for college. Yet, in that same course, a classmate had already read every single text that was assigned to us. That person naturally had more to say, was clearly more interested, and loved their experience. I could not compete with that level of interest and understanding, no matter how much time I put in, and that's okay. I still learned a lot in the course!

Lesson Two: Learn the foundational skills the class is trying to teach

All classes are not just about their high-level understanding on specific topic areas, such as music, philosophy, art, history, but they also help you build foundational skills necessary for higher level courses in college. When I completed my first year experience requirements, I chose a music and power course not because I am particularly skilled at music, but because that was all that was left. Because it was so different, though, I learned to engage with media critically in a new way. My understanding of how music and power interact opened my way to understanding how all things in life cannot be divorced from history. That's not something my computer science degree taught. The class was about critical thinking, incorporating history into current behaviors, and recognizing social habits that make up our current world. Not just about listening to songs and reading sheet music.

Lesson Three: Engage with others in your core classes

Other people's enthusiasm can goad me into at least trying in a subject I have no interest in. I find that even when the material isn't interesting to me, people are interesting to talk to about the material. In my first art studio course, other people's art inspired me to get better. It was the first time my art had been analyzed critically and the first time I had to justify my subconscious decisions. It only clicked when we did a shadow study using paper. This was a medium I never would've touched outside of this class, and it ended up being my best work in that class, something I'm still proud of years later. Other people’s ability to manipulate the medium made me want to put in the extra time and effort to do the same and to think of my art in the same way. I learned I enjoyed the experience of art in a college-level course, and also that I didn't enjoy it enough to make it a major.

Lesson Four: Apply what you're learning to your life

In high school, I thought to myself, "when am I ever going to use this?" During summers, I certainly didn't use the information from my courses to help me with things I was doing in my life outside of school. In classes, I jumped through the hoops and memorized the terms and didn't think any harder (my teachers were actually really good, I just didn't need to engage that much). Being an undergraduate student was different for me. A core class I chose was "Studying Asia" which ended up putting me on a path for my minor in Asian Studies. While I didn't have high expectations, my professor certainly did. My professor had us write a surprise essay at the beginning of class and share it aloud to test if we had actually done the reading. That professor taught me to cover my bases. In a way, this was like doing the extra mopping when closing up shop, just because the bosses might be able to tell, or to take a little more time to double check if I have my keys before leaving the house. The learning moments may be small, but they must be learned eventually. I also learned the value of spite. I chose a minor in Asian studies for one reason: I didn't want my hard work to go to waste. Not the best reason to choose a minor, but a reason nonetheless that ended up working for me!

And there we go! A four-step guide to surviving (and actually thriving!) in core classes. Not all subjects will speak to you, but some may, to the point where it influences your future education plans. I may not have enjoyed all my core classes, but I still learned from them all. Hopefully this article gives you a different perspective on the inevitable part of taking core classes in your undergraduate degree, and hopefully inspires you to lean into the learning, try something new, and take away a new perspective or skill that you can use in your life!