4 Reasons To Declare A Minor

After transferring to Temple University last fall, my academic advisor told me that all students in public relations should consider picking up a minor. With a vast array of minor programs described in a brochure in front of me, I quickly became overwhelmed. What should I minor in?

Although picking a minor may be the farthest thing from your mind, having one can be a great asset to your professional development. Considering a minor can come as a blessing as it can lead you to learn more, in and out of the classroom about your strongest passions. 

Minors help you appear more well-rounded. My digital design professor told me this after I thought about adding Digital Media Technologies as a minor. I was not only good at communicating using emerging media and computer technologies but I had a passion for it. My professor advised me to take up this minor because even if it didn’t fit perfectly with my major of public relations, it did showcase a variety of skills I had to offer.

Minors help you gain different perspectives. College is a time to gain training and knowledge in fields you are interested in. It is also meant to open your mind to new opportunities and mindsets. In the PR field, you will be responsible for reaching out and connecting with various audiences, and different perspectives can help you better communicate with these audiences.

Minors widen your career opportunities. For example, an employer in a health care PR firm would highly prefer a public relations major with a health-related minor than another applicant with only a public relations major. In this kind of tiebreaker situation, a minor can be extremely beneficial.

Minors show you follow your passions. Potential employers are always looking for passionate team members. When you are passionate about something, it drives you to learn and succeed in that area or field even further. This exercise of passion leads to self-motivation, determination, positivity, and goal-orientation.

Many schools don't require declaring a minor. But with the job scarcity today, it is a good idea to have at least two areas that you have good skills in, which is the purpose of a minor. So, find something you enjoy and will have a life long interest in other than your major and make that your minor. You may even find that half way through your education you want to pursue your minor instead of your major. The benefits and possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to branch out and try something new!  

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Nicole Beck.

Starting Off The Semester On The Right Track

Starting off a new semester as a seasoned sophomore, I have learned a thing or two about how things operate in a university setting. There are a couple things that I wish I would have known last year when I started the semester, so I put together a list of tips to help make the new semester run flawlessly.

Don’t procrastinate on your reading: My biggest mistake last year was not staying on top of my reading assignments. If you push off one night of reading it may seem like no big deal, until you have 100 pages due the next class. To avoid this mistake, simply complete your reading assignments as they are given. Although it may seem like a daunting task at the time, you will be thankful later that you just did the assignment when it was assigned.

Get a planner: One thing I wish I had used last semester was a planner to keep track of my assignments.  Balancing 5 classes may seem easy, but in reality it is a lot of work. Having a planner to keep track of assignments will help you to stay on top of your work. 

Visit your advisor: Talking to your advisor at the beginning of a semester is a great way to stay on track. Your advisor can help you with any of your academic needs, and make sure that you are following along well with your major requirements and are also on track to graduate. 

Go to class: Early in the semester, it might seem like an easy choice to just roll over and go back to bed instead of going to your 8am, but DONT cave in.  Skipping class early in the semester is never a good idea. Most classes only have an allocated allowance for absences, and there is most likely going to be a time later in the semester that you will need the day off for. Do yourself a favor and don’t lower your grade by skipping because you are too tired. 

What tips do you have for starting the semester off strong? Let us know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler 

The Summer Class Conundrum!

For many undergraduate students the question of whether or not to take summer classes arises every May. Taking summer classes allows you to graduate early, get back on track if you transferred or switched your major, double major, get a hard class out of the way and it even enables you to take less credits during the academic year so you can hold internships and jobs during the regular school year.  On the other hand, summer classes can be a little pricier per credit. In the long run though, the cost outweighs having to stay an extra semester or year.

 Some universities and colleges offer summer classes that are as short as six or even two weeks which allow you to still enjoy your summer but accomplish your academic goals. There are opportunities to take daytime, evening, and even online classes so that you can still work and intern. I am currently taking four summer classes. I am a double major and it is helping me stay on track to graduate on time. In order to be able to work and intern, I opted for a short two week intensive course, an online course and two night courses.

 Having taking summer classes before, I also feel as though I am conditioning myself to stay in an academic mindset. When regular classes resume in the fall I no longer have to prepare myself for the “traditional” classroom structure. Finally, the class size is optimal to learning. Traditionally, summer classes are small in professor to student ratio. From my experience, all of my classes have been no larger than 15 students. Summer classes are also great in the regard that you can have more personalized attention if you are a struggling in a particular subject.

In all, I believe the pros of taking summer classes far outweigh the cons. Consider the financial responsibility in the long run and visit your financial aid office early to become knowledgeable of your options such as scholarships, grants, and loans. Finally, evaluate how taking summer courses can improve your GPA, help you reach your academic goals, and success in the long run.

Have you ever taken or are considering taking a summer course? If so, how have or how will they affect you academically?