The day has finally arrived. Today marks the beginning of spring registration. From now until the end of the semester, thousands of UW students will take their turn planning, plotting, scratching and reworking their schedules for the spring 2004 semester. Each student will likely spend a considerable amount of time tiredly gazing at a computer screen, first penciling the perfect schedule and then watching helplessly as classes fill up and new decisions must be made.
Think this sounds a little dramatic? Yeah, maybe it is. But welcome to the wonderful world of the UW registration process. While some of us have just begun our collegiate career and have boundless requirements to fulfill, others are on the home stretch and are looking for fun, interesting classes and easy electives to take. Others, like myself, are somewhere in between.
It is from this vantage point that I’d like to offer a few suggestions for students still slightly unsure which classes will round out their schedule. (And with the high, um, quality of advising on this campus, I wouldn’t be surprised if more than a few students are still deciding what classes they want to take.) Although I’m not completely at the end of my academic career, I’ve taken a sampler of courses that I feel have fared me well, and as a true believer in a liberal arts education and getting the most out of what you came here to do, I’ll offer you my two-cents worth. Take it or leave it, but here it is.
Take at least one semester of a foreign language.
I never, ever thought I would hear myself say this. I kicked myself all the way to Madison because I didn’t finish out my language requirement in high school. I even put off registering for a foreign language class my freshman year because I dreaded the thought of having a “hard” class that met every day of the week. But then a funny thing happened. I took a foreign language class and it ended up being one of the best classes I’ve had at UW. This might sound crazy, especially since learning a foreign language does require a daily commitment to homework in order to truly get the most out of the class, but the rewards reaped from learning a foreign language are almost endless. You see, you don’t just learn the semantics of a country thousands of miles away. You also learn a lot about the culture of that country and the traditions and values of the people who live there, and in an increasingly global economy, being knowledgeable of another culture can prove extremely beneficial.
Even better yet, UW has an amazing selection of foreign language programs to choose from. In addition to French, German, and Spanish (the three “main” languages on campus), UW also offers 61 other (a.k.a “alternative”) foreign languages, such as Finnish, Thai, and Arabic. The great thing about the alternative languages offered is that these classes are offered in small settings with nearly one-on-one instruction. I’m currently taking my third semester of Dutch, and the small class setting and interesting material make it one of the best classes I’ve had at UW.
Take at least one course with practical applications
While learning about the French Renaissance or the various aspects of molecular biology is certainly a valuable educational experience (and, indeed, oftentimes one needed to graduate), I strongly suggest taking at least one course during your UW career that actually has practical applications. In addition to taking courses filled with theories and various philosophies, it is extremely valuable to take at least one course that contains material that you will actually use in your daily post-UW life. Women’s Studies 103: “Women and their bodies in health and disease” is a fabulous example of this very type of course. This course (which certainly doesn’t need advertising, considering that it fills up every semester and usually has a lengthy waiting list) provides practical, useful information about women’s bodies throughout various life cycles. It is a course that everyone (male or female, gay or straight, old or young) should definitely take. All of us, whether it be through our own bodies or those of our partners, mothers, sisters, etc. will at one point be confronted with women’s health issues. This class provides information that every single member of the class will use after the lectures are over.
Other great classes with practical applications include health and fitness classes (Food Science 120 is a popular course that offers realistic, informative advice on nutrition and food products) and even intro-level speech classes (chances are that nearly all of us will have to deliver at least one speech or presentation during our professional lives, and knowing the basics of a well-delivered speech can only help in those endeavors). Although these classes are easily overlooked, they can be well worth your time. There are countless other practical classes out there, too — perusing the timetable will undoubtedly produce a good number of choices.
Take a course completely out of your comfort zone
Taking a course that you normally would never dream of taking can do wonders for expanding your horizons. Because most students usually only stick within the realm of classes that reflect their strengths, taking a course that is even slightly off the beaten path can be a valuable experience. It can strengthen your weaknesses and help you become a much better student in general. For me this course was anthropology. I knew going into the class that it would be a challenge (I have never understood the mysteries of the Olduvai Gorge and the specimens that have emerged from it), but I took the class despite my misgivings. Although at times I wondered what exactly was going on (occipital foramen, anyone?), I can now honestly say that I am glad I took the class — not because I think I’ll actually use the information ever again, but because I improved my critical thinking skills in an area into which I would otherwise have never ventured.
As a disclaimer, however, I’d just like to point out that I’m not advocating that anyone stray too far off the beaten path. If you’ve never understood math, don’t register for calculus and expect it to be a joy ride. Trust me, it won’t.
As a final note, try to take at least one fun, less strenuous class to evenly balance out your schedule. If your schedule has at least one class that you really look forward to attending each week, then you have created a masterpiece. Happy registration and good luck.
Kari Bellingham ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism.
