Is it ok to take fun classes in college?

Usually I’ll be the first person to trade in immediate fun for greater future rewards and success.

For example, I’ve stayed in on countless weekend nights working on my business instead of chugging drinks. And I can’t remember the last weekend that I didn’t work, even on vacation.

So my point is: I’m 99% of the time all about working hard to set myself up for an amazing future. For better or for worse, I’m just wired that way!

I mean just take a look at the titles and content in some of my previous blog posts below, and you would be shocked that the same guy is promoting fun in this blog post title:

• • Go For Mastery And Stop Overextending Yourself!

• • Would You Live Off A Dollar A Day To Accomplish Your Dreams? 

• Why Talent is Overrated

However, there are certain situations where it pays to be intentional about having fun. And in this post, I’m convinced students are better off finding fun classes to take in college than not (as long as it doesn’t mess up their graduation timeline).

Before you think I’m more confusing than a government tax plan, let me explain why I’m on board the take-fun-classes train.

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Why You Should Take Classes For Fun

Your academic semester will get mundane if you’re going through the same type of classes for around 15 weeks.

For some of you, your class schedule looks like three major classes and two minor classes, every semester, until you graduate. If you’re major and minor are under the same department, you may only take classes in one campus building.

Because of that, there’s no diversity of subjects, students, or professors in your academic schedule.

See how that can get old and make learning less fun?

So an underrated aspect of scheduling an enjoyable class is it’s a refreshing change of pace during the week. You’re free to relax and soak in the knowledge of a subject you’re interested in, instead of piling on more knowledge for your major.

There are also specific benefits and possible benefits of taking a fun course:

Boosts your intellectual curiosity – The brain needs to be introduced to new ways of thinking and information to grow, otherwise it doesn’t perform at its best capability. When you take a course you know little about, you force your mind to adjust. It’s for the same reason that reading is so beneficial.

Practice getting outside your comfort zone – Many people fall into the spell of publicly talking about getting outside their comfort zone, yet privately taking no action to be uncomfortable. You can reverse this reality by taking a course, like acting, to stretch your comfort zone. Taking an interesting course is one of the safest places to do something out of the norm.

Discover a lifelong hobby – If you keep reading, you’ll notice the example list below easily translates to a list of hobbies. Maybe taking a fun elective course snowballs into a lifelong hobby. Discovering a hobby you love would certainly be worth this opportunity on its own.

Find your career – More unlikely than likely, but there is a chance you enjoy this fun class to such a degree that you decide to pursue it as your career. And if you don’t believe me, I’ve personally known a good amount of students accidentally discover what they want to do in life from an elective course.

Fun Classes To Take In College

To summarize, the reasons to take a load off your grueling schedule with a more enjoyable class include stimulating your intellectual curiosity and practicing going out of your comfort zone. Plus, don’t count out the possibility of discovering a lifelong hobby and or finding your future career.

Those benefits, mostly the latter two, offer an incredible upside for no downside.

Now that you know the theory behind it, it helps to see some examples and how they may benefit you in the short term and long term.

This is a quick list of unordinary classes I came up with that sound like a good time. (Most of these classes, if not all, are offered at every major university.)

1. Intro To Beer/Wine

Talk about fun, right? Taste testing beer and wine for college credit is unreal. This class falls more into the hobby category than career category mentioned above. Yet there are plenty of careers available for those who are knowledgeable about beer and wine, not including a bartender.

2. Photography

A few of my friends started their own business taking engagements and wedding event pictures. And they got started learning about photography through a college course. So if you’re thinking about being a part-time or full-time photographer, it’s a great idea to take a college class to improve your craft.

3. Acting

Acting or ballroom dancing are the two classes that will require you to get out of your comfort zone the most in this list. Acting is also perfect for releasing stress during the day before or after you have your major classes. I bet there’s at least one reader who has serious natural acting chops and doesn’t know it.

4. Ballroom Dancing

My housemate took a ballroom dancing class senior year. I thought he was joking with me when he registered, but he wasn’t and actually loved the class. Now he can use his dancing skills on nights out and at weddings, which comes in handy.

5. Art

Take a college art class to be an artist without starving in the real world. For real, it’s hard to become a better artist without an art teacher. So if art is something you’ve always enjoyed, schedule a class to pick the brain of an expert while it’s accessible. Pottery classes are also under the art umbrella, so don’t forget about clay or glassblowing.

6. Horseback Riding

Interesting story with this one: I actually signed up for a horseback riding class at Miami. And then a few weeks before the first class day, Miami cancelled the course in order to reconstruct the horse facilities. So I never got to take that course. I did go horseback riding this summer though, and it didn’t disappoint.

7. Psychology

Want to know the insider information behind the Stanford Prison Experiment and what makes your parents act the way they do? Take a psychology course. Psychology also made it on this list of classes to take in college.

8. Music

How would you like to be cultured, experience history, and learn about Europe? You can gain this and more from a classical music class. My classical music class is where I found this studying gem, Four Seasons, by Vivaldi. Or ignore classical music and study rap or pop music, it’s your call.

9. Exercise

One way to ensure you don’t skip the gym is to register for a weightlifting or exercise course. Many people appreciate the class for the blocked off time to exercise and what they learned about being healthier. And no one can call you lazy for not taking a normal lecture class because you’re working out.

Only you know your unique interests and what you would consider is a fun class, not me. So identify whatever that is—if you’re struggling, Google search your university’s course list—and schedule it before you graduate.

We need to remember that life isn’t all about chasing success or fun. A well lived life has balance between the two.

So I challenge you to focus on looking for fun in uncommon areas. In this case, look for fun in your classes.

Want more strategies to make your life easier in college? 

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