General Studies Underrated?

"General studies? That sounds like a waste of time."

In my opinion, going into General Studies is probably the best thing someone could do if they are unsure about what they want to study. Sure, you could go into something you don't take that much of an interest in, let's say Criminology, and get a nice, fancy diploma "just to have." However, chances are, you probably won't even use it. Don't get me wrong, I think Criminology is an awesome field to get into if that's what you're interested in, but I strongly disagree with rushing into something you are not even sure you want.

"Oh, you don't know what you want to do? You should go into Arts or something and get a degree. At least this way you'll have something after a few years rather than just wasting your time in General Studies and getting nothing in the end."

Okay, I definitely know what some of you are thinking and, quite frankly, I was once in the same position as you. BUT, I can honestly say that general studies is a very beneficial choice for those who have interests in various fields. In the long run, it is very possible that you will be in general studies for quite some time, however, I don't look at this as a bad thing. Personally, I would rather take an extra year or two to discover myself and find a career that truly defines me. If I were to go into a random degree program just because I wasn't sure of what I wanted, I wouldn't be learning the things I am today.

I've learned that I like using my imagination and being creative. I found out that I really enjoy writing essays and poetry. I discovered I'm good at editing and coming up with innovative ideas.

After learning all these new things, I have finally decided the career I want to pursue: Journalism. AND, it only took me one semester to figure it out! Imagine what would have happened if I went into a degree program just for kicks. I would have probably ended up transferring into General Studies midway through anyways. That kind of sounds like a waste of time, don't you think?