College is a time for connecting students to an entire world of opportunities, experiences and — most importantly — the chance to learn new things.

The things students learn in college can be great tools for making it out in the world when they graduate.

Most of what students learn relates to their majors. But students shouldn’t limit what they learn or care about to their major: They should also allow themselves to gain knowledge and skills in other classes outside of their major.

Being as knowledgeable as possible in the major geared toward your career path is important, but at the same time, neglecting to learn anything other than what your major teaches can leave you one-dimensional.

I am not saying you need to become the go-to person for anything and everything, but it would be nice to know some things that can help you connect with people with different backgrounds and professions.

Many times, students think their general education classes and electives are not as serious, or are even a complete joke. Generally, students believe they “don’t need the class” or “won’t use it in the real world,” so they take no real interest in the class, and only do the bare minimum to pass.

I’ve found myself saying and doing such things, but then I realized that while I’m putting so much effort into not caring about the class, I could be taking that same time and energy to actually pay attention and pick up on some of the things I can learn. Once I gave this a try, I found my anthropology 220 class wasn’t actually that bad and it even went by smoother.

The classes you may think are impossible and pointless could actually end up being beneficial to you in the end. NIU offers a wide range of classes that are diverse in material. Take the general education courses that many dread, for example: Though they are required, they can help to give you a broad set of knowledge in areas ranging from astronomy to political science.

According to the NIU General Education Requirements website, these classes are set up for students to “develop social responsibility and preparation for citizenship through global awareness, environmental sensitivity and an appreciation of cultural diversity.” These are all qualities that make for a well-rounded individual.

“Taking classes outside your major is good,” said senior communication major Dexter Ramirez. “I took Bowling I as an elective last semester, and even though it’s completely unrelated to my major, I liked it. It was different from the type of classes you would usually take in college.”

So, continue on working hard in the classes for your major. Just remember while you’re doing that, try to take those other classes seriously, too. Not only will you leave college well prepared for your career, but well versed in many areas and subjects.