Learning for Life

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The first column of 2nd semester from the Cornell Daily Sun published Jan. 19th.

It is at this time of the year, with the start of the semester inching closer, that I remember my addiction, the one that consumed me through the first three weeks of classes. For days, I pored over the course catalogue, dissecting descriptions and mapping my route to listen to lectures and amass syllabi. I was a professional course shopper.

Reassuringly, I was not alone in my addiction. I learned my method of madness from an upperclassman and was joined by peers who saw both the beauty and curse of it. “Shopping for courses is a lot like dating before you are committed. You see something attractive, but when it doesn’t work out, you move on to the next class,” shares David Choi ‘04. Of course, there were students whose schedules were pre-set by their major, and they were content. Still, others who chose classes months before confidently stayed with them.

So, what turned me into a course shopping addict? It was not because I wanted a schedule with no Friday classes or courses that would give me an easy “A.” In fact, it was just the opposite. Over the course of four years, I knew I would be exposed to new subjects, brilliant minds, and unlimited resources. I wanted to learn as much as I could in the limited time I had — approximately 34 courses and 120 credits worth of it.....

Continue reading the column here: Learning for Life