Part of Berry’s signature experience is cultural event (CE) credits. For some, it may feel like a drag – 24 hour-long segments barring them from graduation. When you think about it, though, CE credits are an interesting and unique tool that we are lucky to have. Where else are you going to get the chance to learn about an artist’s artwork directly from the mouth of the artist or hear about research from way outside your field that someone your age is conducting? 

CE credits afford us with the rare opportunity to dive into things that interest us with someone who knows what they are talking about. Furthermore, a CE credit could lead you to an interest that you would have never found on your own. Not many schools offer so many opportunities for you to reach outside of your major and learn about something completely new as Berry does, so we should take advantage of CE credits and the many opportunities they provide. 

While 24 required credits may seem like a lot at the forefront, over the course of four years, it really is not all that demanding of a requirement. Assuming you take the typical eight semesters here, you only need to go to three CE credits a semester to stay on track for graduation. Most CE credits are no more than an hour, so that means you only have to take out three hours of your time a semester to go to these events. You probably do more homework in a day than that, so in the grand scheme of things, it is not all that terrible of a requirement. 

Let’s not forget that Berry is a liberal arts school, and CE credits are part of that liberal arts education. These events are meant to help you explore a wide variety of topics during your years at Berry. You don’t have to study African American literature to be interested in a CE credit about representation of black women in comics, nor do you have to study animal science to be interested in a sheep herding demonstration – all it takes is a little bit of interest and a willingness to learn. 

That’s what makes CE credits so great: they’re meant for anyone and everyone. You don’t necessarily have to be knowledgeable in a subject to go to a CE credit about it. In just one hour, you can be exposed to a completely new topic and brag that you know a decent amount about it. How often in the real world do you get an opportunity like that? 

Furthermore, Berry offers such a wide range of CE credits, it’s almost impossible to not be exposed to something new by going to them. You get to explore a huge variety of topics, from things that may pull your interest from your field of study to something that might be helpful in the way you view the world. They’re not all about academics – you can learn about holidays from a different culture or explore more about your faith, too. 

CE credits are also great because they promote exposure for different groups around campus. Theater and dance shows, for example, are CE credits, which encourages more people to go to them. Some students may only go to a show because it’s a CE credit but find out afterwards that they really enjoy watching people on stage, encouraging them to come to future shows. Not only did the student find a new interest, but they’re supporting student organizations on campus and promoting student involvement. 

CE credits may feel like a tedious requirement time to time, but think about how much you get to learn from them. Try to frame it as an opportunity rather than a requirement; after all, you are probably never going to get to learn about so many things in such a convenient setting for free, so take advantage of it while you can.