As an art history major, taking a class is something I definitely recommend. 

For other reasons than the occasional Mellow trivia art question.

I took AP Art History my senior year of high school and absolutely fell in love with it. I've also met a lot of people who took a class and ended up enjoying it so much they added it as a minor.

The minor is very doable at UVA. You only need 15 credits, which averages to about five classes. As a bonus, it also takes care of your non-Western perspective requirement. I took Art of the Buddhist World out of interest with a friend, not even realizing it would take care of that requirement.

Studying art history gives you a broader view of the world and a greater idea of different cultures and their history in general. 

It's also really cool either abroad or at a museum to be able to sound super smart with all of your art history knowledge. This past summer when I went to the National Gallery in London and museums in Paris, it was so amazing to actually see a lot of the things I had studied.  

The first class I took at UVA was Art Since 1945, and it changed my life. It was a really challenging course, but absolutely worth it, completely changing what I might think "art" really is. A lot of the art at the time had a crossover with the political climate, so I learned a lot about political history in addition to the art. It's extremely relevant to art today as well; so if you only take one, I would recommend that. 

Art History courses also involve some writing, and writing the occasional paper has definitely helped my skills. 

So, next time you can add an extra elective to your schedule, consider art history. It just might end up being a greater part of your college experience than you might think. And seriously, who doesn't love being the only person to know the answer to one of the Mellow trivia questions?