Course election season always sparks a background stress. The courses that you take each term have the potential to make or break an entire 10 weeks. I don’t know if I’ve ever been fully satisfied with what I’ve taken in any given term.
Right now, I only have two more classes to take for my modified major, and I’m done with my distributive requirements. For the first time at Dartmouth, what I want to learn is not dictated by a pre-planned major or by certain three-letter acronyms I have to complete — TAS, LAB and SCI to name a few of the worse ones. I’m not taking a class because it fulfills my world culture requirement and also happens to sound kind of interesting. What I want to take is entirely in my hands.
My freshman fall, the idea of taking whatever classes I wanted was like the world opening up a kaleidoscope of possibility. There were so many departments to choose from! Maybe I could do a Geography class? Or a Sociology class; what even is that? I could fulfill my “Mona Lisa Smile” dreams in Art History, and I finally had the chance to study theater with real, working actors.
The past few terms, course election has been met with less excitement. The novelty of niche departments had worn off, and I’d always push back cool classes for the sake of taking classes that actually count. Classes that “count?” Doesn’t that completely go against the ethos of a liberal arts education?
I’ve been struggling with this a lot, with what I really want to learn at this school. I used to say that I need a clear direction in choosing my classes. I liked having distributive requirements; I couldn’t possibly pay attention in a class that “meant nothing.”
Then I think about last winter, when I took ASCL 5111: “Religions of Vietnam.” I took it on a whim because two of my friends were in it and liked the professor. I still talk about that class. And thanks to CRWT 40.15: “Tell Me Story: Introduction to Nonfiction Radio and Podcasting,” a class that also “meant nothing,” I’ve decided to embark on a personal project my senior year to make an entire narrative podcast series.
So, with all of the insecurity at this school about not taking the hardest courseload or not challenging yourself or not being able to say every week that this week is “so packed” and you’re “so stressed” with six midterms on top of everything else you’re busy with, I want to try something new. Take classes that inspire me and pique my curiosity and challenge me in unique ways, but not for the sake of rigor or a requirement set by the school.
I want to savor every moment of my senior fall, not brush past it because I’m worried about an essay or a midterm. I want to drive to Sachem Fields for club field hockey every Saturday and notice the backdrop of the hills change from green to orange and red. I want to sit on my porch and doodle for fun. I want to go for long runs at the river and not say no to friends because of work.
Hopefully next fall you’ll be seeing me in your History of Fine Arts and Paintings and additionally how Film Relates to Gender in the 19th Century (HIST/WGSS/ART 36) class.
This week in Mirror, one writer reflects on writing a novel during his off-term. Another examines the books students read at school “just for fun.” Our editor reflects on shared attention. And, our Freak of the Week columnists discuss the sticky situation of living with a former partner.
Happy Week 7, Mirror! Green Key is also this week, by the way.
