I am an undergraduate student. Occasionally for some reason I am asked to take a class at my institution whose stated purpose is almost completely unrelated to my major. To preserve my anonymity, I won't say what I actually do, but as an example: Imagine I am majoring in computational biophysics, and I am asked to take a course in linear algebra.
In the past when I have done this, it has not been a pleasant experience. I sit through a bunch of lectures I don't understand, try to socialize with a group of people who already know each other and who I'll likely never see again, and then take my finals, which I feel is seen as irrelevant.
But I am still encouraged (by my advisor and others) to take such classes, because it is good for my career. In particular, I've been told that it's good to learn diverse techniques and ideas, and that I may someday need them in my career. This seems very unlikely to me, but I am uncertain.
Is taking such classes really a worthwhile endeavor?