Classes

It’s the most obvious thing people would want to know about, right? Here’s the basics:
I’m taking four classes here this semester, which is a normal to lighter side load (many students take 5 or 6). I have Calculus III, Chinese, Intermediate Macroeconomics, and University Writing, which is a course all incoming GS students are required to take. Classes only meet twice a week for an hour to hour fifteen or so, except for Chinese which meets daily M-Thu. I don’t have any classes on Fridays. So you’d think you have all this time right? Well … not exactly. The main difference between classes at BCC and classes here, (and I mean no disrespect to BCC in saying this of course) is that every class here will force you to think. So the homework takes MUCH more time, because you actually have to have a good grip on the material and on what you’re doing. You can’t just regurgitate definitions from the textbook sidebars or play matching games with scenarios 1 through 4. You actually have to know what’s going on, and be able to articulate it.
As for my specific classes, Calc III I am only taking because it’s required for some of the later econ classes. Our teacher is a young Chinese guy from MIT I think, who really is very decent. He’s an awesome mathematician, really knows his stuff, and his tests are challenging but fair. He doesn’t make us do proofs, which from what I hear is VERY unusual, but I’m very glad for it, because I hate proofs. I spend more time on this class than any other, and I’ll be glad once it’s over and I don’t have to take any more formal math.
Chinese is, for me right now, extremely easy, because I’ve had it before, and because I had a very good Chinese teacher back home. (Ni3 hao3, Wang2 Lao3shi1!!) Our teacher here is new this semester, and she’s fair, and interesting to talk to outside of class, but I don’t care for class itself that much, for a couple of reasons. I’d rather just spend the time practicing on my own.
Macro was really great in the beginning, but has gotten a bit boring lately. Our professor is hilarious, he’s a very interesting guy from Spain originally, very smart and a good presenter as well. He also has a passion for Africa, but lately the models have been getting a bit more involved than I personally find very useful.
University Writing I was dreading, because I hate writing classes, but our instructor is awesome; I’m actually really enjoying the class. He’s a young guy, a grad student in the English department, but he’s really solid; I think he will be a significant writer one day, and he will always be an asset to any class he teaches in the future.
There’s of course much more that I could say, but that’s the basic rundown …