College Being

How does a college student go about choosing which classes to take or when to take them? Well, for me it is mostly the luck of the draw, but sometimes you get lucky. In this article I will give some suggestions of what I think makes a perfect college class schedule.

Minimum number of lab classes: My freshman year was particularly gruesome due to the large number of science lab classes I was taking. Learn from my mistake and stay away from as many lab classes (especially intro lab classes) as you can. If you have to take them, try to spread it out. You have four years you know. Fine arts students: Interpretive Dancing or Painting 117: The Color Green do not count as lab classes.

Don’t take pre-med classes if you are not pre-med: Obviously not all of us can follow this one, but if you can do it. Especially for classes like Chemistry 101 or Biology 101, where instructors place bets to see who can make the most kids drop pre-med in quickest amount of time. This does not apply to those of you who are masochistic.

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Easy classes on Mondays: What made my sophomore year great was just having two easy, one-hour classes on Mondays. Why was this so good? Well, as any of us that have worked full-time or have had bad classes on Mondays know, it just ruins the perfect Sunday. Instead of thinking about partying; going to the pool; playing a prank on your roommate; or in my case, sleep; you just think about how horrible tomorrow is going to be. If you just have a couple or easy, or even better, fun, classes, you can flow into the rest of your miserable week quite fluidly.

No class on Fridays: Friday is party day and everybody knows it. If you don’t have classes on Fridays, you can rest to be able to party until 5am, or if you live in the suburbs, 11pm! Also, it is nice to snicker at your fellow classmates who all have to go to class while you stay in your dorm room practicing for quarters.

Classes to avoid: Lastly, try to stay away from the following classes and you will enjoy your college experience so much more: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Nutrition, Geology and other classes having to do with rocks, Geography, Anthropology, Archaeology, Philosophy, Religious Studies, English, Linguistics, Foreign Languages, Journalism, Communications, Economics, Business, Accounting, Computer Sciences, Math, any type of Engineering, Sociology, Psychology, and especially Women’s Studies (just kidding, you can take that one). Also any combinations of the above classes such as Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Biomedical Engineering, Biophysics, are especially deady.

Classes you can take: My school has a whole Wine Studies department. Check out you school for similar classes. I hear some schools offer Underwater Basket Weaving, but the seats fill up fast.

Well, that’s all you’re going to get from me. Follow these rules and you will be happy. Break one and you are doomed to a miserable year of hard work and stress. At least you’ll be able to look forward to coming on college being during that lifeless 8am class.

[image credit: top image by Zach Robbins (cyti), bottom image by Steph P (cafe-ole)]