Some people insist on only taking classes that directly apply to their major. I laugh at them. The following list consists entirely of classes I took for no apparent reason, and they’re the best classes I’ve taken at BYU.
EXSC 125 – Flexibility
I’m in this class right now, and it’s perhaps my favorite ever. It’s a half-credit PE class, and so you get an A if you show up and sign the roll. The class consists of—I kid you not—stretching and power naps. Half the time you do a nice long routine of stretches, then the teacher turns out the lights and does a relaxation thing. It rocks. I think I’m going to take it again next semester, just because it’s that cool. I feel like a million bucks when I walk out of this class.
HIST 380 – History of Popular Culture in America
As far as I know, this class has met its demise because the professor (Dr. Fox) has retired. It was just like it sounds, though, a history of pop culture—movies, comic books, TV, cartoons, etc. We watched Marvin the Martian cartoons in class, and homework was watching movies and reading comic books. The lectures were brilliantly interesting, and the topics were actually things we cared about. I’m telling you, the class was dynamite.
TMA 150 – Public Speaking
I think the name of this class is deceiving, because the principles that I learned applied to way more than just speaking. It was about persuasion, and about gaining peoples’ trust… really, this is as close as I’ve found to a class that teaches you how to be charismatic. I know a bunch of people teach this class, and it’s probably different with each teacher, but I can recommend Kurt Mortensen without reservation.
ECON 110
I took this class for fun. For fun. It was so hard, but it was really cool. I had it from Mark Showalter, and he quickly became one of my favorite people ever. I’m also keenly aware that you might have to be the slightest bit nerdy, like me, to think this class is the cat’s pajamas.
That all being said, I've got one semester left, and I need to know what other classes rock. Any suggestions?
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The most fun class I have ever taken was at my community college. It was entitled "Digital Music." There were no music theory prerequisites, you just got to learn about synthesizers and then go into a studio and make your own music with a huge rack full of mixing and synthesizing gear, a keyboard, and a mac. I have a CD of music I composed. Through step recording (not real time) I was able to create loads of tracks with different sounds. Incredibly awesome. If you like that sort of thing, go to http://www.propellerheads.se/ and purchase the "Reason 3.0" software.
The easiest class I took at BYU (and many would argue that it isn't necessarily easy) is Math 110. I kid you not, I didn't miss a single point.
I'm taking the snowboarding class at BYU this winter and I hope it will be the most fun class ever. Do any of you guys ski or board? I'm going for a season pass at Sundance and need a copilot . . .
Um, I would suggest Honors P 200 with Deirdre Paulsen for anyone who's even remotely interested in writing. An absolutely brilliant class.
Also, History of Creativity. It absolutely rocked my socks. Probably one of the coolest classes I've ever taken...talk about having your teacher dress up like Caeser for lecture...
Welsh! You can't go wrong with Welsh, and really, when are you ever going to be able to take it again?
bookbinding. or writing about performance. assignments consisted of class field trips to plays and dance recitals and concerts and then writing our opinions about 'em. so fun. oh, and isaiah class was fabulous.
JST, with Jeffrey Marsh. TMA 150 was great, recommend Diona Wilson. Isaiah is excellent. You missed a crucially key one...Dance 180 (and 185 if you're feeling Latin). Anything taught by John Talbot or Gary Booth. Bio 240, if you don't care about your GPA, has some fascinating stuff in it. Sociology 111 with Ralph Brown is highly entertaining. Songwriting (music 386R i think...good luck getting in, sign up early). Family Life 100 (a class on the Proclamation) - super easy and one of the best classes I've had here. I always wanted to take CS 142....too bad I already shot my GPA with Bio 240. Also have always wanted to take the springboard diving class and the scuba class...too bad that one costs like $300 to take or I'd so be there...
Bible as Literature, English 350, but you HAVE to take it from Stephen Walker. The man is inspiring. That's the only way I can describe it. Austin will back me up on this one.
Word to that. Stephen Walker is that stirring inspiring teacher that every movie about troubled youth tries to portray. He actually is. The subject matter is amazing as well.
Did I mention begining gymnastics? Practice your summersalts and cartwheels, kids! its a blast, I took it twice, and got a great workout, better than when I took either weightlifting or running. But I don't even know if they offer it anymore.
Oh, also, Physical Science with Scott Burgeson, aka Bruce. I love that man. Those were, without exception, the most entertaining lectures I've ever attended at BYU. He was goofy and he made everything funny. Everything. Little stick-figure pictures to demonstrate force and friction, ripping open his shirt to reveal a Superman t-shirt after being shot by a ping-pong cannon, I could go on and on. It was something amazing.
i loved flexibility, seriously. the best money i ever paid for napping. and i second the plug for modern dance. a-mazing! others include most beginning dance classes - they're always a blast - and pretty much any class from dr. johnson in the anthropology department. in most of the classes i had from him, he showed a movie/documentary/national geographic-esque film on a weekly basis. i'm learnding!
http://theboard.byu.edu/index.php?area=viewall&id=761
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