Who hasn’t complained about having to take General Education requirements?

On a limited budget with only 24 hours in a day, it’s difficult to spend time learning things you don’t really care about, simply because a “well-rounded” education is important.

But it is.

That’s why every U student should attend as many lectures and speeches as possible.

Monday night April Greenan, director of the McKay Music Library, spoke on the relationship between science and art.

The average U student struggling to complete fine arts credits before moving onto their passion in architecture, engineering, nursing or business will probably not have the opportunity to take a class from Greenan.

On-campus lectures and speeches will allow exposure to various fields and ideas without the effort and expense of a Gen Ed class.

They will also present a depth and specialty not often experienced in lower-level classes for freshmen.

Let’s face it. U students love to learn, but we’re busy and short on time.

Lectures are the perfect solution. Taking an hour out of your day a few times a week, or even just a couple times a month, will expand horizons and introduce concepts probably not presented in your preferred field of study.

Art majors probably don’t study much politics. But what better source for inspiration than current events?

Attending a Hinckley Institute of Politics lecture is like a crash course in politics from people more qualified than those talking heads on CNN or FOX.

Engineers probably don’t study physiology much, but attending a lecture sponsored by the physiology department might help an engineer see how something he or she is working on might be applied to the human body.

There’s no telling what proverbial apples will fall on the heads of people sitting in a lecture.

Regardless of how many freshmen complain, a “well-rounded” education IS important.

Everybody who is a college graduate should have a certain level of familiarity with math, biology, English and government.

Lectures are one way to make up for it so you don’t look like an idiot when your kid someday asks you where electricity comes from.