The Story
Tribe Vibe: Lowdown on Classes
This article is the first in The DoG Street Journal's weekly series of opinions pieces, "Tribe Vibe." Tribe Vibe discusses the most important aspects of William and Mary, the Tribe and life in Williamsburg.
You may be ready for the college experience, but before you meet the roomies, brave the cafeterias and bog yourself down with extracurriculars, you face the challenge of choosing your course load. To prevent a few headaches with the registration process, here’s some advice on how to wisely weed through the course catalog.
Tip 1: GERs are GEReat!
The College is a liberal arts institution. Appreciate this! It means that we can experience a little slice of everything. If you are unsure of tomorrow’s outfit, let alone your major or future prospects, you are not alone. Many students begin their academic career at the College undecided in their major, including me. The GERs (or General Education Requirements) help settle your prospects.
There are seven GERs that you must complete before you graduate. The requirements include one course in math, one course in a biological science (i.e. biology), one course in a physical science (i.e. astronomy, physics or geology), one lab in either of the two former classes, two courses in social sciences (i.e. economics or sociology), three courses in history, one course in literature, two credits in creative arts, and one course in social thought (i.e. philosophy or ethics).
Do not let these requirements intimidate you! It seems like a lot, but they are an excuse for you to have some fun with your classes. You need 120 credits to graduate, so there is more than enough wiggle room for experimentation.
Don’t worry - there are classes that ease some of the daunting GERs. If you’re not a budding biologist, there’s Intro to Psych as a Natural Science, which counts as a biological scientist. Or if you’re not going to prove a new math theorem any time soon, Math of Powered Flight (it sounds harder than it really is) is a popular way to knock that GER out of the way.
The main problem that students face with the GERs lies not in the content of the courses, but rather in the timing. Take my advice and DO NOT LEAVE ALL OF YOUR REQUIREMENTS FOR SENIOR YEAR!
Sorry to say it, but freshmen are the bottom rung of the registration ladder; you will have the last pick of the classes. Therefore, the courses that will primarily be available for you are introductory courses, which are the perfect outlet for GER completion. Come senior year when you have first pick in all of the prime courses, you will kick yourself for having to take Intro to Psych as a requirement.
Tip 2: Enjoy Your Freshman Seminar
The College requires all freshmen to take a seminar either in their fall or spring semester of freshman year. The freshman seminar is a small class composed of approximately 15 students. It is an ideal opportunity to forge friendships and increase your comfort in discussion-based settings. Speak up in your seminar! I regret not partaking more fully in my own.
If you are unable to get into an interesting seminar during your first registration period, do not be afraid to wait until the spring semester. The seminar topics range as widely as the study of the wilderness to the Beatles. Since this is a discussion-heavy course, choose a topic about which you are passionate and willing to discuss.
Most importantly, enjoy the tight-knit community of your seminar. Although upper-level courses are usually small, introductory courses have the largest enrollment. Since you will be taking many intro courses your first year, appreciate and cultivate relationships with your fellow students and professor in your seminar. They may become your closest friends. My seminar professor eventually became my advisor.
Tip 3: Let your advisor advise
During orientation, everyone is assigned an advisor according to your intended major (or lack of major). Feel free to go into your advising meeting with a list of questions. With years of experience, they can offer the best insights into your academic journey. You will be required to meet with your advisor a few times during your first year, and he or she will help guide you through the first year’s registration periods. Don’t worry if you don’t hit it off with him/her. You can change advisor at any time.
Tip 4: Do NOT mess with the Digital Info Literacy Exam (DIL)
The DIL is yet another requirement of the college that must be completed first semester of freshman year. It is a simple online examination of your skills with a computer. It is not worrisome unless you forget to take it, because then you must take a digital literacy course in your spring semester. Although not a difficult class, it is (as my roommate has informed me) a very tedious class. You could be taking classes that are much more interesting, so don’t do that to yourself.
Tip 5: Register with an open mind
When you finally reach the registration stage with your ideal schedule in hand, do not be surprised if you are unable to get your top picks. Always have back-up classes in mind for such an event. Those back-up classes may become your favorites.
First semester of sophomore year, I did not get any of my first choice classes and only one of my back-ups. It was a nightmare! After frantically emailing professors, however, I ended up having my best semester yet.
If, of course, you have your heart set on a particular class and it is filled, feel free to email the professor. There are no guarantees, but if you are persistent and passionate enough, you may get an override into the class. In fact, I always email professors weeks before registration begins. While this may seem overkill, it places me at the top of the waiting list and, I like to think, my professor’s heart.
After traversing the freshman requirements, hopefully you’re feeling better prepared for your maiden year. Registration can be such an exciting time - really! Come into your first year with exhilaration for your academic choices, for while college is composed of infinite social aspects, intellectual expansion (should be) the prominent incentive. Good luck, ’13!
Megan Hermida is Style Editor and an opinions contributor for The DSJ. Her views do not necessarily represent those of the entire staff.