College is filled with a plethora of exciting and varying opportunities, from internships to clubs to courses. While you hopefully will enjoy the majority of your courses, there will certainly be ones that you don’t care for. But college is ultimately about finding what you are passionate about, so you need to experience all of the different types of classes to find that *thing*. Here are the different types of classes you will take as an undergraduate.
The Mandatory Pre-Requirements
Whether you’re in humanities or STEM, you will have to take a certain amount of pre-requirement classes before you get into the juicy stuff. These range from English 3 to the chemistry and calculus series, and can either be relatively easy or be huge reasons for your mental breakdowns. The good part about pre-requirements is that everybody has had to take them at some point, so we all can relate. While these classes can be rough, they end up being invaluable to your later coursework, so just hang in there!
The Easy-A GE
The “easy-A” GE is constantly being sought after but is hard to find. If you are at a competitive university, it is unlikely that any class will truly be an easy A. But when you find that perfect combination of interesting and light(er) coursework, some GEs will certainly feel easier than other classes.
The Not-So-Easy-A GE
Every quarter, students pour over Rate My Professors and online articles to find the perfect easy-A GE. But, sometimes, that research isn’t enough, and students are caught in a class that they are uninterested in and that is not at all easy. This is arguably the worst combination for a GE course, so this might be the time to check out your college’s policy on taking classes pass/no pass.
That Random Class Your Friend Made You Take
They promise it’ll be fun and you’ll finally get to take a class with a buddy! But, little do you know, this course will end up being the reason you text your friend “you going?” every day, hoping that they attend so you don’t have to. Friendship quickly turns into just a collaborative effort to collect lecture notes.
The Upper Division That Makes You Question If You Really Need Your Degree
We all have that class that really tests our desire for higher education. It’s likely required for your major, so there’s no way getting around it. It may make you want to switch majors, or drop out, or move away forever. It will probably be the most draining course you will take, but it also is probably one of the most valuable to your professional career. Tough it out ─ it’s only ten weeks!
The Upper Division That Makes It All Feel Worth It
While we have those upper divisions that suck the life out of us, we also have those that make this whole college thing worth it. Whether it’s a class that covers something you are truly passionate about or a class that is taught by a professor that just gets you, there will always be a course that makes you feel inspired and hopeful. These courses are the ones that will keep you going and push you to that graduation date.
Although you may not always be in the courses you love, there will always be a class to look forward to during your undergrad career. You may not know what that class is yet, but you’ll know when you’re in it. While you’re on the journey to get there, remember that each quarter goes by quickly, so find the little things in each course that make you proud to be a student and push through!