By Rona Ortiz |Staff Writer|

Many students face pressure to obtain their degree as quickly as possible.
This can cause students to overlook elective classes that may lead to new interests, or enhance their job skills.
Exploring classes in different fields can help undecided students choose a major.
“Students should take classes outside of their major to explore other possible career interests,” said Vivian Ortiz.
“Taking other classes exposes you to new people and experiences,” Ortiz added.
Taking a class for enjoyment can provide a break from the stress of rigorous coursework.
A great stress relieving class many enjoy is Yoga.
Yoga classes are offered by the Kinesiology Department along with many other fitness and conditioning classes.
“If my schedule permits, I’d like to take a physical fitness class that will educate me about effective body conditioning that would also measure my progress,” said Matt Monreal, a business major.
If fitness isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other opportunities to help expand your horizons.
If you spend a lot of time watching Food Network and envision yourself wowing your friends with your amazing cooking skills, a class in culinary arts could be for you.
Introduction to Culinary Arts is a class that will teach you the basics of food preparation and safety, shopping, how to use kitchen tools and fundamental culinary techniques.
It’s a basic cooking class that would be suitable for those who want to cook for enjoyment, stated Dorothy Chen of the Health Sciences department.
Perhaps you have a creative streak but don’t see yourself as an artist. Consider Topics in Studio Art for Non-Majors.
This class introduces students to selected areas of art and includes experimentation with various mediums.
Some classes are not merely interesting but provide students with valuable life skills.Financial Choices in Life is a class to help equip students to make informed financial decisions.
Topics range from handling credit cards to investing. Smart money management is an essential skill that will reap benefits for a lifetime.
Critical thinking is a valuable skill that allows you to analyze problems and examine various solutions.
A critical thinking course such as Philosophy 200 can help you communicate as well as evaluate ideas effectively.
Another reason they may consider taking classes outside their major is to broaden their skill set.
This can enhance their marketability after graduation.
“A student with technical skills is going to stand out,” said Jim Smart in his Writing for Media, Comm 240 class.
“The days of printing out your resume are gone, it’s all online and you need to know how to provide links to your work in your online resume,” Smart added.
Web design is a hands-on course on the fundamentals of designing functional web pages. No prior computer experience is required.
Students can use these technical skills to showcase their accomplishments which will help them stand out in this tough job market.