The Minor Leagues

Oh, the minor leagues. There is nothing minor about them. Choosing a minor and earning that extra piece of paper at graduation is not simply taking a few classes here and there. From my personal experience, my minor has changed my college career for the better, in a major way.

Getting the exposure to many different ideas and students from different academic backgrounds is a good change from learning the ropes and the specifics of one’s major. In fact, being surrounded by all different majors is more representative of the college or university. My academic experience was molded by my general education requirements. Most of my nontechnical classes were random, and I did not spend enough time on those courses, or hanging out with students from those classes. I cannot say that I had the most open mind after having to channel all of my efforts towards chemistry and calculus. The classes for my minor allowed me to free my mind. Not to mention that delving into a minor allowed me to learn different perspectives, and appreciate the diversity that comes with a large school.

I also have to say that I have gotten more out of pursuing a minor than just placing a few lines on a resume. Concentrating on an additional discipline allows a student to refine more skills that are valuable in a variety of situations. The minor can round out a student who is very focused on the major. In my minor, I learned how to set up meetings, negotiate with stakeholders, and solve serious issues through multi-disciplinary teams. I could not have asked for a better way to round out my academic skills and make a few good friends along the way.

The good news for someone who is considering a minor is that it does not have to be a tough decision or lead to a tough academic plan. My university happens to follow the setup that majors and minors that go hand in hand are easy to complete in four years, while majors and minors from different colleges and fields are like oil and water. As it turns out, many students within my major either pick a minor that uses some of the general education requirements, or something technical. This is the easiest ways to go if someone is not sure of how to fit a new commitment into an academic plan. It may also be a more comfortable leap to pursue something that still aligns with the main area of study. Then, there are those students, who pursue a second major, or a minor, outside of the college or similar field. I have tried this, but could not see it being realistically completed in two years. It was not possible, and I ended up learning the skills that I was interested in without dealing with the extra hassle. It takes a big person to realize where his or her limit is, and there is nothing wrong with being extra practical. There is no rule that says you cannot choose a minor simply because it is a passion. Also, there is nothing wrong with turning a minor into a major, or dropping the minor and simply taking a few electives here and there. There are a multitude of options because schools are institutions for teaching those who are eager to learn.   

The few things that I have learned so far have been that there is no substitute for practice. Sure, taking that one introductory elective was great, but focusing on an entire field is not always as easy as it sounds. Sometimes, it is impossible to predict how some of the more specialized courses will turn out. Another sad fact of life that I have learned is that not every class for a minor is enjoyable, some are dry, and others can be just as stressful as the hardest classes in a major.