7 Ways to Branch Out in College

By Alyssa Laffitte on August 10, 2018

College is the perfect time to branch out of your comfort zone and to become a more well-rounded person. In fact, that’s what college is meant for! It’s a great time to discover what you like and what you don’t. There are many resources at your disposal in college that will help you learn more about the world and yourself. Here are some ways you can branch out in college.

Image via Isorepublic.com

Participate in extracurricular activities

One way to branch out in college is to join extracurricular activities. These activities will introduce you to people you otherwise would have never met. The good thing is that you are bound to have at least one thing in common with everyone else at the activity, and you can use this as a conversation starter. For example, if you are in a science club, you know that everyone in the group is also interested in science, and you can talk to them about it. If you want to branch out further, you can join an extracurricular activity that is not related to your major. All in all, participating in extracurricular activities while you’re in college will help you branch out.

Attend seminars

Your college likely offers a series of seminars or talks on different subjects. Attending one of these seminars (or a couple) could teach you a lot and will definitely help you branch out! You will likely learn many things and end up interested in a new subject. That’s why you should check out your school’s calendar to see if there are any seminars you can attend.

Try a new hobby

College is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby. Even though we college students don’t have much free time, it’s still enough to learn a new skill or craft. With a quick YouTube or Google search, you can learn how to do something new. If you really want to get into your new craft, check if your school offers a class in it!

Take a class that’s not required for your major

Another way to branch out in college is to take a class that’s not required for your major. Taking a class in a different subject will expand your knowledge in a new area, and it’s a good way to pursue interests outside your major. For example, I’m a biology major, but I was curious about etymology (the origin of words and language). Of course, the biology curriculum doesn’t require an etymology class, but I took it anyway. I ended up learning so much! You can do the same thing by taking a class not required for your major. After all, how will you branch out and become a well-rounded student if you only take classes for your major?

Learn a new language

Additionally, you can branch out in college by learning a new language! As I said before, college is unique because there are so many resources available to help you learn. This includes resources to help you learn new languages! After you graduate, you won’t have access to so many foreign language classes and professors. Take advantage of these resources now and sign up for a language class! Learning a new language will definitely help you branch out.

Study abroad

If you want to branch out A LOT, consider studying abroad! When else will you get the chance to study in a different country? Studying abroad will help you branch out because it will introduce you to a new language, a totally new country, new people, and new food. By the time you come back home, you will have learned a lot, and you will surely be a more cultured, educated, and well-rounded person. For that reason, if you really want to branch out in college and step far outside your comfort zone, consider studying abroad!

Volunteer your time and talents

Volunteering is yet another fun way to branch out in college! When you volunteer, you will get to work in a new place with new people. Serving the community in a new environment will expand your comfort zone and make you a more knowledgeable person. You probably don’t need to look that far on your campus to find volunteer opportunities, as many organizations would love to have a volunteer come help. Clearly, volunteering is a great way to branch out while serving others with your time and talents.

Your years at college are the perfect time to branch out, as your college will have many resources to help you do this. For example, in college, you can branch out by taking a class in a subject completely new to you or you could study abroad. It will be harder to do something like that when you graduate. For that reason, use the resources your college offers you to help you branch out and learn more about the world and yourself.

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