One of my favorite parts of college is having the ability to take electives. For general elective hours, you can really take any class you want, but Grove City College has a long list of classes that would not normally be considered “academic.” This means that, essentially, you can get credit for having fun. These classes are usually only one or two credits, but they are a great way to fill time if you need to meet your general elective requirement. Some examples of classes like these that students can take are bowling, ballroom dancing, tennis, and racquetball.
I am currently in my last semester of college and only needed nine more credits to fulfill the requirement for my degree. In order to live on campus as a full-time student, though, I had to enroll in a minimum 12 credits. I saw this as an opportunity to take some fun, one-credit courses so I could meet the minimum credit requirement without overwhelming myself.
One of the classes I decided to enroll in is a beginner piano class. I have played the violin since second grade, so I am already very familiar with sheet music and general music theory. Since I have not had to learn any of the difficult, conceptual parts of music theory, the class has been a fun way to simply pick up the basics of a new instrument that I otherwise probably would have not had the time or motivation to learn.
Because the class is only one credit, we only meet once a week. This also means that the coursework for the class is minimal. Our instructor gives us a couple pieces to practice each week, and at the beginning of every class, she checks up on our progress to make sure we are keeping up with the material. Thankfully, the pianos in the classroom all have headsets, so nobody needs to worry about how they sound in comparison to their peers. The class is really just a way to improve on your own personal skills in a judgment-free zone.
This is just one example of a leisurely elective I have taken in my time here at the Grove, but thankfully, I have been lucky enough to have a couple classes like this. If you ever get in a bind trying to fill time in your schedule once you get to college, do not forget to search for fun learning opportunities like this one!
