Throughout my five years of undergraduate education, I had the opportunity to take an abundance of classes. My favourite part of the year was checking the course calendars and timetables to see what courses were available. I would meticulously construct my schedule, spending hours reviewing course descriptions and comparing them with previous course calendars. I have taken more than 50 courses, and these are my favourites.
Biology of Birds (BIOL 3261)
One of my favourite hobbies is bird watching, so taking this course was a no brainer. I ended up really appreciating the time it took to put this class together, and I learnt so much. This class talks about all things birds, such as the science of flight, internal anatomy, migration, and much more. The labs were very fun as well. I got to analyze feathers, go on bird watching expeditions, and even learnt about the 100 most common bird species in Windsor-Essex county.
Conservation Biology (BIOL 4270)
Out of all the courses listed, I’ll be honest and admit that this one was the most challenging for me. This course was not a walk in the park and I had to put in a lot of effort to properly understand the material. However, putting in the work led to the immense reward of a good grade. The aim of this class was to highlight issues and solutions currently happening in all aspects of habitats and environments. I got a lot out of the class, as I’ve had a keen interest in conservation efforts and the discussion of habitat protection.
Death Investigations (FRSC 4018)
Taking this class seriously changed the trajectory of my life. This class focused on the decomposition process, and everything involved in the field of taphonomy. Lectures ranged from chemical aspects, ethical aspects, ecological aspects, and some unique topics such as arson cases and cadaver canines. Taking this class is the reason I had the opportunity to write my thesis and begin my masters program, as it encompasses many of the topics discussed. It’s a special topics class so it is not always offered, but I’m glad I got the chance to take it.
Economic Botany (BIOL 2080)
This class was a lot more interesting than I thought it was going to be. This class discussed the use of plants in multiple industries such as farming, textiles, medical, and materials. Pros and cons were brought up and there was a great attempt to localize issues in the industries and issues discussed in class. Lecture topics discussed include the making of beer and wine, coffee, chocolate, and genetic modifications, all of which were interesting to learn about.
Intro to Crime Scene Investigations (FRSC 1101/1107)
I got to take this course during my first semester of university. My program is Forensic Science so it was required for me to take it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the course content interesting and rather straightforward, and it was not rigorous. During my undergrad career, I’ve had many non-science friends take it as a science credit.
Ojibway Prairie Journaling (BIOL 4008)
Out of every course I have ever taken, this one takes the cake for uniqueness. Each week, the class would take place inside of Ojibway Park. We would spend the first portion of class learning and practising certain artistic skill sets, and then we were given a subject to draw and write about in scientific contexts. The class was quite small, but it made sense because of the structure. I took visual arts every year in high school, but I put the hobby on the backburner when University began. This class gave me the opportunity to hone my skills again while also learning new skills.
