Schedule time, FOR THE LAST TIME!
I haven't been excited about taking courses since I got back from my year off. This should be easier, more entertaining, and less intense than any of my past three semesters. And also, it's my last as an undergraduate. Here it is, my course schedule for this spring:
EVSC 485 - Coastal Processes, 4 credits
Lecture Tuesday/Thursday 1100 AM - 1230 PM, Lab Monday 200 PM - 300 PM
This is almost the perfect EVSC class. It's taught by an older professor that clearly loves teaching and is taking it easy, it has a one-credit one-hour lab instead of a one-credit four-hour lab, and it's about material that I'm already pretty strong in thanks to previous coursework. The material is basically the geology and climate of coastlines - how they're formed, sediment transport, a bit of oceanography mixed in; overall pretty sweet.
EVSC 494 - Ecology and Geology of National Parks, 2 credits
Lecture Monday 300 PM - 500 PM
This class is a little unusual. At the first class each person was assigned two of ten national parks. There are fifteen students, so that's basically a group of three for each park. Starting with week 4 of the semester, each group will make an hour-long presentation on the park's ecology, geology, status, and human impact. This semester, I'll be researching the bejeezus out of Guadalupe and Rocky Mountain National Parks to give a pair of presentations with some strangers. Overall, I'm looking forward to it, but I also foresee some late nights in my future. At least two of them.
EVSC 468 - Advanced GIS, 3 credits
Lecture+Lab Tuesday 330 PM - 445 PM
This is probably my hardest class. It's basically intense GIS instead of boring introductory GIS. It's good in that it is going to be about relevant, legitimate GIS work with direct professional and research applications, but it's bad in that it's going to be generalized problems without anything helpful like step-by-step instructions or reference materials. I'm in this class because A) I like GIS and B) I might make a career out of GIS, but it's also not going to be an easy class.
CHEM 142L - Introductory Chemistry Lab, 2 credits
Wednesday, 3 PM - 5 PM
This wasn't an option. If I want to complete the BS, I need 25 background science credits, and these are the last two. I took the Physics 201 lab last semester for the same reason. It's going to be a pain, but a necessary one.
MUSI 207 - History of Rock, 3 credits
Lecture Tuesday/Thursday, 1230 PM - 145 PM
This is going to be so much fun. It's a class on what rock is, the roots of rock, influential performers, genre study, and rock in modern pop culture. The first lecture was pretty much everything I wanted it to be, with a knowledgeable, entertaining professor and a pretty animated discussion on what is rock and roll. We talked about why indie people hate the word mainstream, why rap music lyrics flaunt wealth and fame, and different subcultures centered around specific bands and genres. It was awesome. Probably my favorite class since Greek Myth two semesters ago.
That's all. Now I gotta read some Hajime no Ippo.
EVSC 485 - Coastal Processes, 4 credits
Lecture Tuesday/Thursday 1100 AM - 1230 PM, Lab Monday 200 PM - 300 PM
This is almost the perfect EVSC class. It's taught by an older professor that clearly loves teaching and is taking it easy, it has a one-credit one-hour lab instead of a one-credit four-hour lab, and it's about material that I'm already pretty strong in thanks to previous coursework. The material is basically the geology and climate of coastlines - how they're formed, sediment transport, a bit of oceanography mixed in; overall pretty sweet.
EVSC 494 - Ecology and Geology of National Parks, 2 credits
Lecture Monday 300 PM - 500 PM
This class is a little unusual. At the first class each person was assigned two of ten national parks. There are fifteen students, so that's basically a group of three for each park. Starting with week 4 of the semester, each group will make an hour-long presentation on the park's ecology, geology, status, and human impact. This semester, I'll be researching the bejeezus out of Guadalupe and Rocky Mountain National Parks to give a pair of presentations with some strangers. Overall, I'm looking forward to it, but I also foresee some late nights in my future. At least two of them.
EVSC 468 - Advanced GIS, 3 credits
Lecture+Lab Tuesday 330 PM - 445 PM
This is probably my hardest class. It's basically intense GIS instead of boring introductory GIS. It's good in that it is going to be about relevant, legitimate GIS work with direct professional and research applications, but it's bad in that it's going to be generalized problems without anything helpful like step-by-step instructions or reference materials. I'm in this class because A) I like GIS and B) I might make a career out of GIS, but it's also not going to be an easy class.
CHEM 142L - Introductory Chemistry Lab, 2 credits
Wednesday, 3 PM - 5 PM
This wasn't an option. If I want to complete the BS, I need 25 background science credits, and these are the last two. I took the Physics 201 lab last semester for the same reason. It's going to be a pain, but a necessary one.
MUSI 207 - History of Rock, 3 credits
Lecture Tuesday/Thursday, 1230 PM - 145 PM
This is going to be so much fun. It's a class on what rock is, the roots of rock, influential performers, genre study, and rock in modern pop culture. The first lecture was pretty much everything I wanted it to be, with a knowledgeable, entertaining professor and a pretty animated discussion on what is rock and roll. We talked about why indie people hate the word mainstream, why rap music lyrics flaunt wealth and fame, and different subcultures centered around specific bands and genres. It was awesome. Probably my favorite class since Greek Myth two semesters ago.
That's all. Now I gotta read some Hajime no Ippo.