As I enter the last semester of my UMass experience, I have taken the time to reflect on the classes I’ve collected during my time here. From gen-eds to electives to everything in between, I’ve decided to impart my senior wisdom and share some of the classes that have stuck out to me the most in the last seven semesters. Disclaimer: I am also loving the classes I am taking now, but it’s too early in the semester for me to say much about any of them!
- Greek Mythology (CLASSICS 224)
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Gods, heroes, and creatures, oh my! For a longtime fan of mythology, folklore, and legends, attending lectures was a really great way to sit and listen to some storytelling each week. This class delved into the history and deeper meanings behind various Greek myths and icons (some of which I would have never thought about on my own) and introduced me to stories that I hadn’t heard of before. This class took the stories and myths I read when I was younger and added a level of complexity to them that put them in a whole new historical and philosophical light.
- Media, Public Relations, & Propaganda (COMM 289)
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This class gifted me with a brand-new worldview. It opened my eyes to a world of media manipulation, political corruption, and propaganda machines operating under my own nose. I was taken on a historical journey that looked at different mechanisms and institutions in society and how they came to be. From technology to advertising to news and more, I learned about the different ways various institutions grab our attention and divert it to meet their own needs. This class was truly one of the most fascinating classes I’ve ever taken.
- Film and Television Production Concepts (COMM 231)
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As a communication major, it’s no surprise that I have a love for all things media. Camera angles, production teams, lighting, costuming, music, screenwriting… All of those things and more were covered during this class! We analyzed famous films and the techniques that were used to make them the masterpieces we know today. The most exciting piece of this class was the final project in which we were given the opportunity to create our own film component. I wrote a short film screenplay for the very first time and brought my new film production knowledge to life!
- Women in Chinese Cultures (CHINESE 394WI)
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Perhaps one of the more niche classes I’ve taken at UMass, Women in Chinese Cultures explored a woman’s role in society throughout Chinese history from a literary and film perspective. Using a combination of poetry, legends, and TV dramas, we learned about the Chinese female experience through a variety of lenses. The class was a space for us to discuss how feminism and expectations for women have evolved over time in a country so far away.
- Introduction to Fashion Studies (COMM 297FS)
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Want to learn about your favorite designers, make a mood board, record your outfits, and learn all about the history of fashion? Then this is the class for you! This class was an immersive fashion experience that taught me about all of the aforementioned items and allowed me to be analytical and creative. I learned about brands and designers that I looked up to, like Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood, and I learned about my wardrobe choices in a personal style ethnography. My final project was a fashion magazine that I wrote and designed from cover to cover and it was one of the coolest projects I’ve ever completed for a class.
Although this list highlights only five classes I’ve loved taking at UMass, I am so lucky to have taken many more amazing classes that aren’t listed above. There are so many wonderful courses that can shape and enhance your college experience. The next time you register for classes on SPIRE, don’t be afraid to take your time with the course catalog. You may just find a new class to fall in love with.
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