In college, we are constantly worried about the classes we need to take, which requirements we need to fulfill, and what graduate programs we want to get into. Often, we forget about the point of college: to learn about anything we want! Below are three classes that I think every college girl needs to take to become aware of the world around us, especially with the roles that social media and artificial intelligence play in our learning.
1) Nutrition
As diet culture becomes so prevalent in the world we live in, it is easy to get caught up in the “proper” way to fuel your body. We place such a heavy emphasis on protein, calorie counting, and fiber. While these things are undoubtedly important, learning about the different macronutrients and in what ways they fuel our bodies is critical for understanding what we should eat. Time and time again, influencers make broad statements about what everybody’s bodies need, when in reality, nutrition is different for everyone. I highly recommend even an introductory nutrition class to learn about the types of nutrients we need, and what specifically works for your body.
2) FInancial Literacy
Small anecdote – I recently got my tax returns for my summer job, and had no clue what to do. I asked my dad and boyfriend about what the forms meant, and all I got in response was a laugh and “what would you do without me?” After hearing this, I realized how little we (specifically women) are prepared for the world in terms of managing money and finances. I signed up for a financial literacy class to educate myself on how to be a homeowner, a business owner, and an adult. Playing into the traditional gender roles that men are better with the money is so in the past. If you’re like me and pretty uneducated on how managing money works, I highly recommend taking a financial literacy class and educating yourself, because it will give you even more power as a woman.
3) Women’s psychology courses
I know a lot of us believe we are educated on the woman’s body and mind, but after taking an introductory level woman’s psychology course, I realized just how much I didn’t know. A lot of our information on how women act comes from social media. This is where I got my information from until my major required a social psych course, and I chose the psychology of women. This class taught me so much about myself and why I sometimes act and behave the way I do. Knowing that women have follicular and luteal phases is one thing, but understanding how the hormones work, and how this contributes to our attitudes towards life is something entirely different. I cannot recommend taking a class like this enough, as you will learn so much about yourself and how to navigate the world as a woman in the future.