By the end of October, an email about registration popped up on my screen and I quickly opened it to discover that first-year registration was on Nov. 18. However, the course list for spring 2023 was already available.
With too many classes to choose from, I spent the rest of the afternoon scrolling down the self-service page in the course catalog.
Here are my highlights as a journalism student, and a few show-stopping courses for those not interested in the media world.
As a print/web journalism major, most of my searches are related to communications and journalism. Going from Visual Aesthetics (CJN-152), to TV Studio Production (CJN-356) and Suffolk TV News (CJN-483), the CJN department has prepared many engaging courses for the next semester.
World Cinema (CJN-255) is the CJN/Diverse Perspective (SGCP) course that immediately caught my eye. The opportunity to get out of the box by watching and analyzing foreign films sounds like an excellent way to explore new cultures and see the world through a different lens without leaving the classroom.
While I love the field of journalism, I am a shy person by nature, so Principles of Oral Communication (CJN-105) was not my number one choice for next semester. Still, it appears this class will help me overcome my anxiety about speaking in public. I would rather be writing, though, but college is about breaking out of our comfort zones and facing our fears. Isn’t it?
Think Small: Change The World (CI-187) is a Creativity and Innovation (CI) core requirement course for Spring 2023 about nanoscience that seems so interesting that it is on my list, and I am not even a STEM major. The course is literally “learn by doing,” and designing nanostructures never felt so exhilarating. One thing is certain: nanotech is the future.
Yet, the old habit of writing never goes out of fashion. Poetry Out Loud (CI-115), also a CI requirement, is a course that will explore the poetry of the 20th century and improve communication through readings aloud performances. Writing poetry is a beautiful way to express feelings and let emotions flow.
As much as I admire people who are good at chemistry, I could never get an A or a B in a class about it. However, the CI core requirement course Chemistry is Everywhere (CI-165) aims to push students to develop new and engaging methods of teaching and learning chemistry. This course didn’t even make it to my top 10, but it might be intriguing for those who understand the periodic table.
The political sciences department offers a Politics and Religion (POLS-208) course this spring, where it will be possible to see how the two merge and the influence religion has in politics. In a world where polarization and extremism are constantly present, it is important to understand how politics and religion needs to be respected.
Feminist Philosophy (PHIL-228) and Africana Philosophy (PHIL-330) are courses that I instantly laid my eyes on when searching for courses to fulfill my minor requirements. While PHIL-228 will be examined feminist perspectives on philosophy, PHIL-330 is a dive into African Philosophy. Both courses cover topics extremely valuable and engaging that society scarcely approaches.
There are many more spring courses on the most diverse topics and majors. Still, every class needs to fit not only our interests but also our agenda. What I have found impressive and crucial in the course catalog is the vast number of courses available from early in the morning until late at night. It allows us to have more flexibility and less stress with the conflicts of classes on our schedules.
Overall, the course list for spring 2023 looks promising. There are plenty of innovative and compelling courses ahead. If we all plan our schedules carefully, we can choose the courses we are most interested in and hopefully be successful at them. The next step is registration and when spring comes, we will discover if these courses are really all they promised to be.
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