ISU Bengal

Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: Opinion

Whichever degree you are seeking, you will be taking classes that suck. While you are sitting through the class that sucks you are probably asking yourself, "What does this have to do with my degree?"

Let's say that you are a business major that can crunch the numbers at blinding speed, pi is your best friend and the calculator is your bed fellow. I bet you cringe when you have to go into literature class. You sit in class wondering why you should have to compare a butterfly to a mountain-and what does that have to do with your ultimate goal of becoming an IRS agent?

Perhaps you are a mass communications major, and sitting through Math025 is a little less comfortable then having your teeth cleaned. You might be wondering if instead of solving the 40 percent saline solution story problem you could sign a disclaimer that says, "I swear on all that is holy I will never mix a 40 percent saline solution with a percent saline solution to create a 35 precent saline solution."

Regardless of who you are and what degree you are seeking-you are going to take some classes that suck! If you have not taken a class that gives you diarrhea yet, just wait. It's coming.

I recently raised my hand in class and asked my professor what a practical application would be for the information that he was writing on the board. He replied, "It depends on your major, but quite likely this will be the only time you ever need it."

Now, I did not have a tape recorder with me because I did not realize I was about to be given a profound insight, but what he said next went a little something like this:

"When you present your degree to a potential employer, she will see that you have taken the required classes to get a degree, and you took some classes that really sucked."

And that's when it struck me. There is a reason we have to take classes that both suck and blow. It's because we are proving that we can do things that we don't want to do-and we can do them very well. It makes us good candidates for a job; when your employer sees that you mastered the art of doing unpleasant things, she will know that you are the right person for the job.

That little insight changes everything doesn't it? If I were you, I would stop sluffing that class that you hate. You never know when a professor will say something that changes your outlook.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools