While this is technically the 2nd weekend I have been on campus at IWU, it is the first weekend since I have been in class. Last weekend was full of NSO (new student orientation) things, so it was crazy-fest.
Now, I have completed a partial week of classes and almost completed this weekend.
Here's a little (or a lot) of info about my classes.
8:55 AM Mon, Wed, Fri
Human Philosophy (I don't think we offer animal philosophy, but what do I know?)
Our professor told us to call him "Dave". That's weird. Maybe it makes students more comfortable, but not me. Call me a traditionalist, uptight, or square, but I find it very odd. You are teaching college students at a respectable university. Calling him by his first name makes me feel as though I am demeaning his stature in the academic community.
Secondly, one of our two texts for class is entitled "What does it all mean" and it talks about this crazy things like "how do you know things are real? What if it's an elaborate dream from which you will never wake? what if every one is a figment of your imagination? The only thing that is real is your mind."
Yeah, that's crap.
It feels like a waste of my time to consider these things that are clearly not possible. Even if that was true and none of this is real, then what is reality? That never ending becomes and is reality, right? It makes my head hurt. I know I said I was going to be open about things like this, but sometimes it's tough to control the eye rolling.
Thirdly, he have guilds or break out groups that we will be meeting with for the whole semester. Each group of 5 is required to do a certain number of things together and report back to the class. This sounds inevitably difficult to coordinate. I was the first one to step up in our group to get the conversation going when we met for the first time on Friday, and it looks as though me and the other freshman in the group will be doing a lot of the work. In some ways, me unofficially being the leader is better than some bossypants leading, but I can see this becoming a source of stress. Bleh. Not feeling the philosophy from where I'm standing.
11:05 AM Mon, Wed, Fri
UNV-180, World Changers for Pre-Declared majors.
World Changers is a required course as a freshman. It's all about, you guessed it, how we can change the world with the light of God. This is, in theory, a great thing to offer a course about. However, when it begins with playing a name game that goes something like this: "Likeable Liz, Precious Penny, Bubbly Brittany, Amicable Andrew" and ends with using Play-Doh to mold our ideas of what life calling, job, career, and vocation look like, I have a feeling this course is going to be a breeze. Seriously, what the heck is this? Because the course I am in is for children with out a major (predeclared is a euphemism for undecided) we will be doing things like "take this quiz to find out your spiritual gift!" and "take this Meyers-Briggs test to find out about your personality!". A lot of doodling is bound to happen.
2:20 PM Mon, Wed, Fri
Writing for Results
This course is pretty intimidating. There are seniors in this course who are journalism or writing majors and that scares me. Our teacher has been teaching a long time and seems sweet enough, so that's a comfort. In part of the reading for class tomorrow, I read the "Letters from Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was lengthy (something he addresses towards the end of the letter) and totally worth reading. Everyone should read it and the Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen that prompted this response. Dr. King is extremely well read and a great persuasive writer. This course will be a lot of analytical thinking and a lot of writing. I am not sure I can handle it but only time will tell. Also, there's a guy in this class who used to go to my church when I was younger. I had a 6th grade health class with him and then, apparently, he moved down state. Now, he is in this class with me! So strange! He actually kind of remembered me which was kinda neat.
7:50 AM Tues, Thurs
Principles of Sociology
I took a sociology course in high school and very much enjoyed it. I think this course will go well. The readings are often long, but I'll be okay. My teacher made it clear that she is actually human and talking about her family and past professional life made me gain respect for her. It will be just fine.
6:15 PM, Tues
Speech Communication
This a required course for all IWU students. I figured I might as well get it done! Our first speech is this week. I don't have the course Thursday night because it is 3 hours Tuesday night. This leaves Thursdays relatively open, which is nice. We are to write outlines for the speeches, which I have already done this week but I haven't had anyone listen to me and grade it yet. 
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