Hatrack River Forum: How are classes going, college students?

This is topic How are classes going, college students? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

Since we had threads talking about what we were going to take, let's talk about our adventures with the first few weeks of class.

I'm taking three classes. None of the instructors/professors I have are the ones listed on the schedule. Also, I haven't even met one of them yet. I'm supposed to be in class in 20 minutes but I won't be - because there is no class being held. Our professor is not due to return to the country until next week, so we won't meet him until then. All classes up to then have been cancelled.

One professor told us when he was asked by the department head how many people could be in the class, he said 120 as a joke. They took him seriously, and overscheduled the class so there are actually 125 students. For a communication class that requires student participation every class. And they put us in a room that's not set up as an auditorium, so the majority of the class can't see him, which is fun because we're studying nonverbal communication and it would be nice if we could actually see him.

They also didn't have the air on during the first class, which was really nice in an overcrowded room in August in Alabama. He did tell us not to worry, the class would reduce by about half after the first test, which wasn't really all that encouraging since it's a requirement for my major so I don't have the option of just dropping it. Oh, and the professor wrote the book we're using which always makes things fun.

My other class is going well. It's got about 70 students in an air conditioned, stadium seating room with an adjunct instructor whose "real" job is an editor for Southern Living magazine. He has a great sense of humor, so when we were asked to turn in a writing assignment I tried to strike a good tone with him and it must have worked - he likes me. I'm going to try hard to exploit that, and maybe get an in on getting something published with the SL conglomerate. [Razz]

Posted by Sid Meier (Member # 6965) on :

mine doesnt start till monday, i have 5 classes i think.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Don't worry Belle; my experience with lecturers who say half the class will drop out are usually right, but it's always the half who just can't be bothered.

You'll be fine. [Smile]

Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :

My classes are great. I have two really eccentric professors (British Lit and Asian Religions), an ornithologist teaching me biology (which I think is pretty cool - I like birds), and my Asian Art History teacher has lived in China for many years and really knows her stuff. I'm excited. [Smile]

Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :

I have too much reading at the moment. I am not being myself in that I haven't finished all that I should. Part of it is lack of time (when you have 250 pages you have to read, 30 pages you should read, and something like 300 pages you ought to read, it's kind of ridiculous). The other part is I just don't like most of my classes. At least I'm getting them all out of the way. No more stuff like this after this point.

Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :

Well, I had my first class last Monday. There are about 13 people in the class, and I know 3 of them from previous classes. It's a small graduate program, so there are a lot of new students this year! I took a Creative Writing class from the professor last year, and I'm the only student she knows. [Smile]

It was pretty cool.

I didn't take part in the discussion on "issues" in the 1950s, though. There are a lot of people who seemed to know a ton about it. Some of them lived through it, I think. [Wink]

Or at least were born back then. It's a literature class on that period, so it was sort of a get acquainted with the era type of discussion. I didn't have much to add.

I'm the lucky student giving an oral report first! This Monday. I finished the book last night, and need to figure out what in the world I'm going to talk about today. Then I'll discuss it with the professor tomorrow.

How fun, right? [Smile]

I'm glad to get it over with, actually.

My other "class" is more of a directed study thing. It's the semester before I take the thesis class officially, so I have a lot of preliminary research and writing to do. And it's being overseen by the same professor.

So... a good first week, so far. [Smile]

Edited to remove excessive use of the word "though."

Posted by ReikoDemosthenes (Member # 6218) on :

I'm in awe at the number of people who have started classes already. I'm not used to anyone starting until the day after after our Labour Day or so, which is on the fifth of September, this year.

Posted by RackhamsRazor (Member # 5254) on :

Mine are going ok I suppose. I am still getting a feel for what the classes are going to be like. Hopefully this semester won't be too bad.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Rei, your Labour Day is the same as our Labor Day (at least this year, but I think every year). Most of the elementary and high schools start just after, but very few of the colleges start that late.

Although I think most don't start until this Monday.

Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :

Oh, I WISH the elementary and high schools around here started that late. In fact, I'm surprised that there are schools that still start in September. I was under the impression that the norm is now to start in early August.

Remember when summer lasted 3 months? Not anymore. You're lucky if you get 2 now.

Anyway, I'm used to college starting a few weeks after the lower schools, and finishing about a month earlier. I guess college summers ARE closer to 3 months.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

We don't need snow days. [Big Grin]

Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :

Mine start today! [Angst]

I have two to start with (in about an hour!): Tantric Traditions and Intro to Near Eastern Civilizations.

Tomorrow I have Linguistics 101, Religions of Ancient Israel, and Urban Archeology.

Opinions to come henceforth.

Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :

Oh. I'm pretty sure when I was a kid we had snow days.. and we still got 3 months. School boards and company are SNEAKY. They just want to lock up the kids and teachers longer and longer.

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

*shrug* At the schools I went to, they still start after Labor Day and get out between the 14th and 22nd of June, same as when I was a kid.

Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :

Then it's clear that the South is evil.

(Edit: I don't really believe that. I like the South. [Smile]

)

Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :

I think part of it depends on the area you're from. I know some kids out near the eastern coast and up north, and they don't start till after Labor Day for anything (elementary, high school, or college). Down south though (where I am from), everywhere starts in August (how early depends on the place).

EDIT: I take part of it back. I have a friend going to college in New York, and I think she may have started already. That's the only case I've seen of that though.

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

Do you live in the south, Katarain?

Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :

Yes, I do. And I probably thought the world changed regarding when school starts, when in reality, it was just the fact that I moved down South. [Smile]

I used to live in New York.

I loooooooove the South and I Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove my Southern Husband. [Smile]

Hehe. I love to tease him that he married a northerner. Though he says I'm southern now. I'm claimed. So I can't diss it too much.

Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :

I don't know what's more annoying--classes you've paid plenty of money for where the professor can't be bothered to be present and teach you something, or students who've paid plenty of money for the class who never show up.

I had one class early in my master's program where the professor kind of cut out after about two weeks, and didn't teach a dang thing the rest of the semester. He still required a final paper, of course. I have studiously avoided taking anything by that professor again. It was a weird feeling, almost like a dream--I would go maybe a week or two without even thinking about the class, and would occasionally remember with a jolt that I should probably check to see if anything was happening. Ever had those dreams where you forget about something really important to you and finally remember it? That was me.

Posted by hansenj (Member # 4034) on :

Mine don't start until Monday, but I got my books! [Smile]

Only $168 this semester! (That's an all-time low for me.)

Belle, what a strange first week of class! That has never happened to me. Hopefully things will improve for those other two classes in the coming weeks!

Posted by BGgurl (Member # 8541) on :

I had my first class on Monday. I guess they've been going okay so far. The only class I really dislike is Biology simply because it's incredably boring.

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

My classes don't start until monday either. I also already got most of my books...and I paid nothing. How, you ask? I went to the school library and took them out. And because I'm in the Honors program, I can keep them out for the whole semester. [Evil Laugh]

MWAHAHAH...isn't life grand?

Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :

I'm frustrated with book costs, personally. Right before the semester started, I bought about $350 worth of books, thinking that was all I had to buy and that I had done decently as far as cost (I bought probably 80% used and 20% new). Then I find out that there were six more books I needed to buy for one course (which cost me another $100 or so), and one extra book for another course (which I still haven't picked up yet, but I expect it to be $20 at the least). *sigh* Too much money goes to books. At least it's not my money since I do have stipend from my scholarship to cover it.

Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :

quote:
Originally posted by pfresh85:
EDIT: I take part of it back. I have a friend going to college in New York, and I think she may have started already. That's the only case I've seen of that though.

I go to college in NY (Cornell U) and I started today. The other college in this town (Ithaca College) started yesterday.

Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :

I love my classes this semester! I've never been more excited about college. I got into the Business Honors program last semester, so now I'm taking 3 business honors courses and they look to be challenging yet very rewarding. Plus I have someone to talk to in every class. Life is looking good. [Cool]