I have always loved performing.

It's actually one of my biggest dreams in life to do it for a living. While that dream is harder to achieve than it seems, I decided to get a degree in another passion of mine... but who says I still can't study it? Recently I've decided to minor in musical theatre so I can still make sure to keep up with it while also incorporating some fun into my studies.

Whether you're like me and love the arts, or you have a secret fascination with business or numbers, consider taking up a minor in something you love. If you're not convinced, here are some reasons that will make you want to study more- in a good way.

1. You're studying something that's fun to you

Taking gen-eds or actual classes for your major requires a lot of work, so why not make some of it fun? Studying at the college level is tough as it is, and adding courses that appeal to you will actually motivate you to like going to class. How 'bout them apples.

2. You're still keeping up with "That Thing You Love"

If you're like me and worry about giving up on a passion or dream because of busy schoolwork, this is where the convenience factor kicks in. By incorporating your fun hobby into your academic studies, you're pretty much forcing yourself to participate and keep up in that field. This is also a bonus for people who are really busy or keep school as their number one priority because that thing you love is becoming a part of it.

3. You can make new friends

You may already have some friends from your major but how about more people to add to your circle? Chances are the people that share a minor with you will have at least some of the same interests or characteristics that you have- hence, a better foundation for an awesome friendship. Even if you're not looking for an "ultimate bestie" just having new friends to study with during class will make everything more enjoyable.

4. You'll sound more intelligent to your family

I think everyone would appreciate it if you're family seemed a little more impressed with what you're doing at school. When holidays come around and your family asks, "Hey, how's school?" or "What are you studying?", you just hit them with the "Oh I'm majoring in [fill in the blank] AND minoring in [fill in the blank]." It just makes you sound generally more ambitious and makes it seem like you have a lot on your plate at once.

5. You'll challenge yourself

Challenging oneself is how a person is supposed to grow out of their prior selves- it's just a simple fact. Taking up a minor along with your already hard major studies may seem daunting at first, but by doing something fun for a grade will outweigh the disadvantages. Plus, how proud of yourself would you be when you finally get that degree with two different subjects of study on there? If you won't be proud of yourself, one of your loved ones definitely will be.

6. You're not wasting time

The great thing about a minor is that you're studying it while simultaneously studying your major. It's kind of like the "killing two birds with one stone" metaphor- you're getting both programs done at the same time rather than focusing on one then the other that otherwise may take up to 8 years if you wanted to major in both fields at different times. Time is of the essence, and you have to learn how to use it wisely in college.

7. It's not as big of a hassle as a major, but you're still getting the benefits

The great thing about literally any minor is that you're not taking as many classes as a major. This means you're doing less work while still learning the core material. Studying something you love while not having to stress so much about it is nothing short of magical for any college student. Why pass this opportunity up?