Staring blankly at my teachers, there are some classes I am required to take that I simply could not be less interested in. At times, it feels agonizing to add that one extra assignment to my to-do list that I am absolutely positive won’t help me in “the real world.” I carried this “what’s the point” mindset with me for most of high school, which in hindsight only escalated my frustrations and left me feeling unmotivated. In reality, education is a gift, and high school is a perfect opportunity to emerge yourself in a multitude of different subjects.
Being enrolled in a course does not require you to feel passionately about it, but sitting through the class every day provides the chance to make something out of it. According to the office of admissions at both University of Michigan and Michigan State University, two schools that are often sought out by South students, both require completion of general courses in order to graduate with the vast majority of degrees. By taking on a well rounded education in high school, you are leaving yourself well prepared for required college courses.
Even though not every school or post high school option will require background in general subjects, the path you chose as a senior may not be the one you stick to. By a study from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 2024 47 percent of students earning a degree changed majors at some point. With that said, having goals for your life after high school can be a perk, but having tunnel vision on one subject can leave you less prepared for if you change your mind. By taking a variety of different courses when you have the chance, you are taking the opportunity to better prepare yourself for bumps in the road later.
At the end of the day, high school is one of the only times students will have the opportunity to learn completely free of cost, and that should be viewed as a blessing. In the time it’s available, students should take advantage of the numerous courses in front of them and dive into each with an open mind. While not every class taken is going to be a perfect fit, going into each class engaged and ready to make the most of it, sets students up to be successful and potentially develop an interest in something new.
