A fish out of water: Navigating non-science courses as a science major

Taking classes — especially required classes — outside of your major can be difficult, particularly if you’re a highly opinionated (read: indoctrinated) Environmental Science major like myself. Here are a few things I’ve learned while trying to navigate my way through a communications course:

Just because you study hard sciences, doesn’t mean that you know more than everyone else

Maybe you’re extremely knowledgeable in your major. That’s great, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to hold the upper hand in conversations about marketing, business or law. Accept this, and learn from the people in your classes who actually do study those things.

Look at all these studious people — there’s a pretty slim chance that they’re ALL science majors

You can’t fact-vomit your way out of everything

Often as a science major, when your opinions are challenged, there is a right and a wrong answer at hand. It’s easy enough to defend the point you’re making through facts or data. That is not the case when it comes to non-science classes. People often use feelings or opinions to justify what they’re saying. Just roll with it. It actually makes more sense than you’d think. It’s good for us science-types to get some exposure in using emotional appeals to make a point.

Sometimes, people just won’t agree with you. Ever

Maybe you know your facts and data are correct, or maybe you know their facts are wrong. But outside the safe bubble of your own major, where people generally share the same basic assumptions about the world, there are people in other majors with other basic assumptions about the world. And a lot of times, these assumptions differ from your own. Accept it, and try to engage in a level-headed debate without yelling/getting emotional/getting irritated (note: easier said than done).

Seize this diversity as an opportunity

Being forced to take a class outside your major can be annoying, but it can also be extremely beneficial towards broadening your horizons. As a science major, there is a tendency to get stuck in specific opinions about the world. Try to use the time in a non-science class to focus less on fact, and more on the people around you. Listen to their opinions—maybe your own will even change as a result. Try and be open minded!

You might be a fish out of water, but hey— evolution has to start somewhere!