Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of journal entries written by Heidi Lynch as she reflects on her undergraduate educational experiences. Part 1 was published on March 24, 2003.
8/14/03
Wow. I can't believe my first year of college is over already. It went so fast! Papers, exams, and friends kept me so busy that the end of the year seemed ages away right up until the moment my parents and I packed up our trusty van with a dorm room's worth of stuff and headed back to Pittsburgh for the summer. Although it flew by, my second semester here was even better than my first. My classes were fantastic. With a largely liberal arts course load this term, I had classes in German, art history, Irish literature, economics, and honors composition. While I had to push myself a bit harder to maintain focus in my economics course, my other classes were engaging and challenging, and I was extremely motivated to do my best since I so enjoyed what I was learning.
In the back of my mind, though, I told myself that this was my semester of “fun” classes before I had to return to reality and begin fulfilling the requirements of a major in German with a business option (which requires about forty credits of business classes). While I always enjoy my German courses, I anticipated the work that would be needed to complete the business-oriented requirements such as statistics, management, and accounting with a good deal of anxiety and even a bit of dread. While I am fully aware of the importance of such courses, it has never been easy for me to stay motivated in math and data-oriented classes, perhaps because I am more comfortable studying fields such as English or history, which examine broad themes rather than detailed information. But because I believed that a German major and business option would combine my interest in German with a business background that would be more attractive to prospective employers upon graduation, I chose statistics, accounting, biology (as a General Education course), business writing, and German as my classes for fall 2003.
Even as I registered for these courses, though, I knew I wouldn't be happy with a schedule so heavily based in the “practical” data-oriented courses that are more difficult for me and so light on the “fun” language, arts, and humanities classes I love. So I set up a meeting with my adviser. As soon as we began to talk, he brought up my scheduling plans and expressed his concern that I would be restless and unhappy in the courses I had chosen. I was so relieved that he shared and understood my apprehensions. As we discussed the reasoning behind my scheduling decisions, I gradually realized that I had decided on the business courses, and indeed the business option of the German major, because I wanted to ensure that I could get a job when I graduated. Although I truly love literature, language, art, and art history, the rational, pragmatic voice in my mind wouldn't let me major in liberal arts alone because I feared graduating with a “useless” liberal arts degree.
A turning point finally occurred when, during our meeting, my adviser asked me what courses I wanted to remember when I left Penn State: the classes I “had” to take or the classes that truly stimulated and inspired me. It was a simple decision to make. After considering my interest in and talent for writing and literature, history, political science, and art history, I came to the conclusion that the business option wasn't the best choice for me. Although it's a bit scary to leave this behind, my new strategy is to keep taking courses I love while still retaining a “marketable” edge in the form of a business minor, which requires about eighteen credits of business courses, a far more manageable load for me. For the fall, I've revised my schedule to include introductory Spanish, advanced German, literature courses, and political science. In short, I'm letting my talents and interests (rather than preconceived ideas of what I should be doing) guide my academic path, while still keeping my options and my mind open. I hope that this new outlook will serve me well in achieving my goal of a career that will take advantage of my talents in writing, speaking, and interacting with others, and that will also allow me to be involved with language, culture, and international affairs—the fields I love.
Now that my plans for next semester have finally come into place, I'm ready for the summer. At home in Pittsburgh for the break, I'll be working to earn some money and spending my free time running, playing sports, and relaxing with my family and friends. But I'll also be looking ahead by beginning to research study abroad programs. If the year ahead is anything like my first year at Penn State, junior year will be here before I know it.
—hjl