A few of my favorites

It’s time to register for classes again! Hopefully you’ve given some thought into your schedule, seen an advisor and looked at the course descriptions/offerings for Spring 2015. This is my eighth and final time registering for classes! I’ve taken quite a few courses in this time and have naturally come to enjoy some more than others-teachers and classes included. If you’re still considering your options, here is a list of some of my absolute favorite classes I’ve taken over the past four years. I know that some of these classes have prerequisites, so if you are interested in them, make sure you read the requirements. Hope you look into them or other classes similar to them!

English

105 English & American Fiction

I took this class in my first semester at UIC. It was actually my first class of the day on my first day of school, so I was really excited to see what college classes were like. When my teacher walked in, she defied any expectations I had — but in such a good way. I was imagining college to be straight out of the movies, with your stereotypical professor, but my teacher was so interactive and animated. We read some fantastic books (Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman; Flight by Sherman Alexie — only two examples of such great books we read) that I have actually held on to and added to my bookshelves. Something else I really enjoyed about this class was that we had a day where we each taught the class through presentations and a dialogue. If you want an English elective/gen. ed, I really recommend this!

109 American Literature & Culture

This class was taken in the same semester as English 109, but the instructors taught them with

a different approach, so they weren’t similar at all. A few examples of the texts we read — White Noise by Don DeLillo and Tropic of Orange by Karen Yamashita. I love classes like this where

we are introduced to different texts and eventually make comparisons and connect themes amongst them. I’ve also saved books from this class.

202 Media & Professional Writing

This was perfect for me because this class focused on the exact area I would like to go with my career; in fact, I truly learned what the field of public relations is through this course. Not only that — the work produced from this class (things like a proper résumé, press release, feature story, etc.) I have been able to create a portfolio that I used when applying for internships. This class really opened my eyes to what I want to do for the rest of my life.

222 Tutoring in the Writing Center

If you enjoy helping others and are a strong writer, this class is for you. We read various articles and texts about writing, writing centers and other relevant topics. After training, we also started tutoring in the center for two hours a week. If you enjoy the experience and do well in the class, you can even apply to work in the writing semester the following semester. This is a great opportunity!

240 Intro to Literary Study & Critical Methods

English 240 is a “survey” class that every English and Teaching of English major (as well as minors) is required to take, but I have to say that I really enjoyed this class. I had a phenomenal professor (who is actually now the director of English undergraduate studies!) We read fun, short stories and had intellectual conversations about them. I really liked this class!

Communication

234 History of Television

I am currently enrolled in this class. I just finished a group project about the Top 10 best reality shows post-2000. This class has taught me more than I ever could’ve imagined about the days of radio, early TV, and even current times. The book was written by the professor and is really interesting. There are also a lot of times we are viewing shows or listening to old radio programs. I have learned so much in this class.

Management

452 Organizational Behavior

I took this class my junior year. It taught me a lot about the way the world of business works and the kinds of things that are vital to the proper functioning of a company. I know there are some prerequisites to this class, so if you are a business student, you may already be qualified to take it. Check it out!

453 Human Resource Management

I am in this class right now- it is amazing! My teacher is in his first year of academia, but we are learning so much from him. He has worked countless years in the human resources world, so he comes to us with a lot of real-world experience. We’ve learned so much about the hiring/ firing process, healthcare and benefits offered through companies, and more. I look forward to seeing what else this class has to offer. No doubt the real-world information is extremely useful!

Electives/Gen. Ed

Physics 112 Astronomy & The Universe

When I was a lot younger, I wanted to be an astronomer. I asked my parents for a telescope and got one for Christmas. I remember standing out in my backyard with the telescope, looking up at the stars. The wonder of space has never left me, but my ability to comprehend science certainly has, so I eventually realized that becoming an astronomer wasn’t for me. However, when I saw that I had a requirement for LAS that could be fulfilled by taking an astronomy class, I signed up for it as quickly as I could. I loved this class, even though the physics aspect of it was a constant struggle for me. Learning about the universe was such a fun class!

Criminology, Law & Justice 101 Intro

I know a lot of people take this class as a gen ed., and I can see why. I really liked learning about things that happen all around us every day. My dad is a police officer, so I felt a bit of a personal connection to the things we were learning in class. This class was one of those that really makes you think about everyday things.

Anthropology 105 Human Evolution

This class is known for the famous ‘zoo project’. I really liked the class, especially for the project. We did a lot of interesting labs in which we learned about the scientific explanation behind man. The zoo trip was one of my favorite projects I’ve ever had to do because we got to go to the zoo and analyze different primates and make different deductions based on what we learned in class. This was really fun!

History 259 The History of American Women

How often do you learn about women in history? Definitely not as often as you do men. This class focused on American women and the many different things that have happened in history.

Another fun project I enjoyed in college came from this class; we made a Facebook page for a famous woman in history and kept it updated. This was such an interesting way to learn about people in history! We also took a tour of the Hull House and got to learn all about Jane Addams. Really a worthwhile class.

French 298 French Literature, Drama & Film in Translation

I love anything French (my room at school is completely decked out in French patterns, pictures,

etc.) I have been learning the language since I was 10 years old, and I instantly fell in love with it. I did place out of French altogether at UIC, but I decided to take a class so that I could be once again immersed in the culture. We watched really cool films and read plays, and although the class was taught in English, there were parts where French was included and I was able to get a chance to read some French.

Check out the course descriptions and pre reqs if you are interested in any of these classes! If not, make sure you are choosing things that meet requirements but also are something you will really enjoy!

Holly Brenza is a senior majoring in English and minoring in communications and management. In her spare time, Holly enjoys playing with her puppy, Bear, and watching the Blackhawks and White Sox, reading and trying out new recipes. After graduation, she hopes to work in public relations.