The common cliche that college is the most opportune time in your life to discover and reinvent yourself holds true. As a simple statement, its meaning is deep and can travel in various directions. What most college first-year students realize well into their first semester is that there is a plethora of activities, societies, and classes that are within reaching distance. And sometimes, this new-found sense of freedom to pursue what seems like to be anything and everything quickly becomes overwhelming. In most cases unfortunately, undergraduate students (by no fault of their own) spread themselves too thin by taking part in a vast array of clubs, fraternities, and other social engagements; this leads into a cyclic down spiral as students are too caught up in social organizations or elective courses, eventually distracting and diverting their attention from their main priorities. And when they are toiling to catch up on their schoolwork, they could feel guilty for missing their social lives.
If there is one lesson, I have learned from being a college student, it is that one’s academic endeavors are equally as paramount as their social life. To get through the demanding school and work week, it is vital to allow dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins to run wild in the brain.
But here’s where we meet at a stalemate: how are we supposed to balance this desired life in a healthy and realistic manner?
This is the same question that I asked my older sister upon entering my first year of college. She had it all down: a 4.0 student in a pre-health fraternity with multiple friend groups and not a single doubt behind those eyes. And not to mention, she was taking Organic Chemistry and physiology while still dedicating time to pledge for her fraternity (she’s an academic weapon!).
What impresses me the most is not that she managed to ace all her pre-med driven classes, but the fact that she is a double major undergraduate. Studying Psychology and English, my sister has made it her goal to apply to medical school and use both of her areas of study to enhance her knowledge in the realm of medicine.
You may be wondering: how could English possible be useful in a future physician’s life? Her explanation, however, was very cerebral and thoughtful. As a first-year student, she too was overwhelmed by what her university had to offer. As the daughters of an English teacher, my sisters and I like to think that writing is in our blood as we are deeply passionate about literature and composition. My sister decided to kill two birds with one stone by pursuing a dual degree in both a major geared towards medicine, Psychology, and a subject which truly intrigued her more creative side, English. This way, she could step back from some of the English based clubs she was a part of, allowing her to have more free time while not completely giving everything up.
Spanish has always been what I like to call my “fun subject” in school. Ever since 6th grade, it was the class that I looked forward to most as I am fascinated by languages. Currently, I am a pre-medical undergraduate studying Psychology and Spanish. Most people are surprised when I tell them that fact about myself because they ponder how Spanish will be helpful to me as a doctor. A goal I have set for myself is that I always want to have a good bed-side manner with my patients; knowing that Spanish is one of the most popular languages spoken in the United States, I want to be able to communicate with my patients to the best of my ability. Maximizing my Spanish is crucial to me, which is why I am willing to take any niche class (like Catalan, a dialect of Spanish) that is offered.
Ultimately, it is in my guidebook for any college student to consider completing a dual degree because you are uncovering subjects that are necessary for your future profession and overall mental health. Why wouldn’t you want to get college credit for having fun?
Someone once told me that if you are passionate about something, you will never see it as actual work a day in your life. And to me, it is truly the most accurate piece of advice I have ever been given.