Picking frosh classes

[trust]

So my student email and course selection information came in the mail today. Does anyone have any tips on scheduling courses? Right now I'm taking 5 classes, 3 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and 2 on Tuesday and Thursday. My freshman advisor preregistered me in her 8:30AM American Government course, and I had originally planned on changing it to the 9:30 one but I decided to keep it in order to ensure I was done with school by noon. I worry though that I won't get enough sleep, I usually didn't stay up that late during highschool on school nights because I like getting 9-10 hours a night, and my senior year my school didn't start until 8:50 so that was nice. I guess this is a comparable time as there's no driving here because the classroom buildings aren't very far from the freshman dorms. Anyway, if any of the college students here can offer suggestions I'm all for it!

Anyway here is my schedule:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday
8:30AM-9:20AM - Introduction to American Government
9:30AM-10:20AM - Introduction to Philosophy
10:30AM-11:20AM - Introductory Spanish 1

Tuesday/Thursday
8:30AM-9:20AM Western Culture 101 (Beginning-900C.E.)
9:30AM-11:20AM Rhetoric 101 (Principles/Practice of Good Writing, which is a required freshman course and a staple of the Hampden-Sydney education.)

The plus side is I have the entire afternoon to do whatever I want, and I get out just when I begin to get hungry. The downside is I'm not going to get up early enough to shower and go eat breakfast, especially if I was up late studying or drinking the night before.

[rabbit]

Your schedule is easy as hell.  What the fuck?

[dark_drake]

If you're up late studying with that, you need to learn to manage your time. The only problem you might run into is maybe having exams and quizzes all in a row on the same day, but I doubt it'll be a big problem.

[trust]

Your schedule is easy as hell.  What the fuck?

Spanish will be hard because I took French in highschool, but I want to learn Spanish since it's more practical.

but Government, language, western culture, and rhetoric are all the basic freshman 1st semester courses. I just chose philosophy for fun, since i'm interested in it and it's a recommended course line for political science majors (and I might major in philosophy I'm not sure yet.)

I don't want to jump into my math and science requirements first semester as those are definitely my weak classes. Luckily I only need one 121 level math course to fulfill my requirement (121=Statistics).

Yall are saying it's easy or whatever, but I think it'll be hard (and a lot of writing.) I mean, it is college after all.

[iago]

After taking French, Spanish is a little easier than it would otherwise be, according to my friend. I'm sure that one reason is that, once you've learned one new language, learning others isn't too hard. Another likely reason is that they're both Romance-based languages, so they have similar structures.

Philosophy is interesting, you don't seem like the type of person who'd enjoy a philosophy course, but the ones there might be different than what I took.

Out of all the math classes I took (probably a half-dozen, if I had to guess), I found stats the hardest. But that's likely because I didn't try as hard in it

[trust]

That's what I've heard about the language, but I didn't do particularly well in French and retained almost nothing. Maybe the foundations will come back to me, but if not I'll just start at square 1 in Spanish versus square 1 in French.


Philosophy is something I'm actually very interested in, and have considered majoring in. It's actually the #1 requested major from law schools, so there you go. If I don't like it at the college level then it's only an introductory course so I'm not out too much.

I took AP Statistics junior year of high school, I got an A but my teacher (who went to the school I'm going to) was pretty easy/leniant and all of our tests were partner tests which helped me a lot. I actually got a 1 on the AP exam, so I guess I didn't learn much. Anyway, Stats is a 121 level course and you aren't allowed to take a math course under or above the level they recommend for you. I was recommended for 121 and statistics is the only 121 level course. I guess I'll take it 2nd semester.

[rabbit]

Your schedule is easy as hell.  What the fuck?

Spanish will be hard because I took French in highschool, but I want to learn Spanish since it's more practical.

but Government, language, western culture, and rhetoric are all the basic freshman 1st semester courses. I just chose philosophy for fun, since i'm interested in it and it's a recommended course line for political science majors (and I might major in philosophy I'm not sure yet.)

I don't want to jump into my math and science requirements first semester as those are definitely my weak classes. Luckily I only need one 121 level math course to fulfill my requirement (121=Statistics).

Yall are saying it's easy or whatever, but I think it'll be hard (and a lot of writing.) I mean, it is college after all.

You're totally retarded if you think that's gonna be hard.  I agree all the writing will be TEDIOUS, but none of that should be hard at all.

[trust]

Just because I'm not loading up on science and math courses it's going to be easy?

[rabbit]

Yes.

Science and math courses are hard.  It's well known that they are the hardest freshman classes overall.  Let's also not forget that you're only in class for 16 hours a week.  That's lame.

[trust]

Yes.

Science and math courses are hard.  It's well known that they are the hardest freshman classes overall.  Let's also not forget that you're only in class for 16 hours a week.  That's lame.

They recommended 15-17, and it worked out to 15. Why would I load up on science and math when I am not going into a major that requires them. While I am in college I will need to take 1 math (Statistics) and two sciences.

We're required to take Western Culture 101,102, 103, language, a religion of philosophy, government, and rhetoric...so all of my classes are fulfilling requirements.

[Sidoh]

Why would I load up on science and math when I am not going into a major that requires them.

If you don't enjoy math or science, then I suppose there isn't much of a reason.  However, I've always heard it's an extremely good thing to step outside of your comfort zone while in college.  It's important to experiment with different fields.  You're there to finish laying the foundation for the rest of your life.  I'm sure you'd agree that it's important to be as sure as you can that you're pursuing the best career that you were able to find.  I know that it's hard to imagine yourself in another position (at this point, I'm extremely sure that I'm sticking with computer science, but I'm playing around with different types of classes to make sure), but it doesn't hurt to poke around in different areas.

[trust]

I've dreamt of law school since I was in third grade, I don't think failing some high level math courses is going to change my mind. I'm going to take astronomy though because that's something I'm relatively interested in (and it's a lab science, which I'm required to have one of) and I've heard it's a relatively easy B+.

[Sidoh]

I've dreamt of law school since I was in third grade, I don't think failing some high level math courses is going to change my mind. I'm going to take astronomy though because that's something I'm relatively interested in (and it's a lab science, which I'm required to have one of) and I've heard it's a relatively easy B+.

That's cool.  I've been pretty sure I'd pursue a career in science as far back as I can remember (my first desired profession was an astronaut... not that this was uncommon.  a doctor after that and then computer scientist of some sort as soon as I hit high school), but I'm still going to take classes that aren't related to my chosen career (which is probably unfair, considering I love science in general and I'm not taking much outside that).

That's great.  You should definitely take it, then (not because it's an easy grade, but because it's something different and you're interested in it).  I'm not saying you should take a bunch of hard math classes.  I'm saying you should step outside of your comfort zone.

[iago]

a religion of philosophy

Please tell me that was a typo!

[trust]

a religion of philosophy

Please tell me that was a typo!

or*

[iago]

a religion of philosophy

Please tell me that was a typo!

or*

Good! Because philosophy and religion are practically opposites, in a lot of ways.

Philosophy of religion would be ok, though.

[rabbit]

My friend wanted to be an engineer for about 10 years.  Bad.  He got in to Virginia Tech's engineering college and he liked it a lot.  He was smart, and took some other courses, one of them being a business course.  He found he LOVES business, and is going to change his major.  Moral of the story: take classes you don't HAVE to take; you might find something you love.

[iago]

I went into University wanting to do computer science. First year, I too Physics, Calculus, Philosophy, and a couple others, plus Computer Science. After all that, I realize I still wanted to do CS. But I'm glad I tried other courses, because I wasn't positive.

[trust]

The only other career path I'd be interested in is business, and I'm pretty good at business theory and such but the requirements would be a bunch of math courses which I wouldn't do well in. I haven't done well in math since we started long division in third grade.

the main reason though that I didn't include a class I probably wouldn't do well in is because I want it to be an easy transition from hs to college, I'll probably do economics next semester (to feel out business, and also because it's a requirement I think) and maybe a science or something. Plus one of the reasons I didn't do a science this semester was because they were all afternoon classes, hopefully there will be a morning offering.

[rabbit]

You're missing my point.  My friend didn't WANT to be a business major, he just took a business course.  I'm saying take courses from other departments even if you don't necessarily WANT to major in that.

[trust]

You're missing my point.  My friend didn't WANT to be a business major, he just took a business course.  I'm saying take courses from other departments even if you don't necessarily WANT to major in that.

I will, as part of my core requirements. For all I know maybe I'll love astronomy and become an astronomer, but it's unlikely.

[rabbit]

I will, as part of my core requirements

No, you're still totally missing my point.

[deadly7]

No, you're still totally missing my point.

He's well past the "missed the point" mark, don't you think?

[CrAz3D]

How many credit hours is that?

Take more...get shit out of the way now and take fewer classes when you have to take harder classes`

[trust]

I will, as part of my core requirements

No, you're still totally missing my point.

No I get your point exactly, I just disagree.

[rabbit]

I will, as part of my core requirements

No, you're still totally missing my point.

No I get your point exactly, I just disagree.

No, you clearly don't get my point at all.

[CrAz3D]

Trust already has to take diverse classes, why does he need to take MORE diverse classes?


Now will you two women STFU about it?

[trust]

Trust already has to take diverse classes, why does he need to take MORE diverse classes?


Now will you two women STFU about it?

Awesomely good point! It's a liberal arts education which, by definition, requires me to take a diverse curriculum. By diverse, it essentially means classes I do not want to take. Why would I intentionally increase the burden of classes that I don't have any interest in and will probably do poorly in. It seems like you just think I should take more math/science because math and science is what interests you. I happen to very much dislike it however.

[CrAz3D]

I had to take a language, if not for that stupid gay-ass class my GPA would be a lot better

[Sidoh]

I had to take a language, if not for that stupid gay-ass class my GPA would be a lot better

I still have to take speech, but I took composition in high school.

[CrAz3D]

I had to take a language, if not for that stupid gay-ass class my GPA would be a lot better

I still have to take speech, but I took composition in high school.

I should takew debate stuff

speech like that?

[Sidoh]

I should takew debate stuff

speech like that?

No, it's an actual class entitled "Speech."  I don't really know what it entails, but I would assume that it's probably writing speeches and presenting them to a small group of people.  It's totally going to suck.

[Rule]

No, it's an actual class entitled "Speech."  I don't really know what it entails, but I would assume that it's probably writing speeches and presenting them to a small group of people.  It's totally going to suck.

I think I'd enjoy that if the prof were intelligent and inspiring.

[Sidoh]

I think I'd enjoy that if the prof were intelligent and inspiring.

Partly agreed.  The reason I'm pessimistic is because I'm making the (possibly faulty) assumption that the assigned topics are going to be things that don't interest me (politics, etc).