Dropped a Class....

Leah C.

January 9, 2010 - 6:00 PM

Dropped a class?! Don't worry, everyone was dropping and adding classes this week. The beginning of the term is not always set in stone. Before January 10th, students have a chance to drop a class for a full refund, and most importantly without getting a "W" (withdraw). I don't know how they were able to keep up with all the students before online course registrations existed, but dropping or adding classes is very common during the first week of school.

So which class did I drop? I had to let Black and White Photography go. Yeah, I know... I had even mentioned how excited I was for that class in my last blog. I didn't drop the class because it was an early course nor was the professor terrible. In fact the professor, Terri Warpinski seemed to be a very passionate photographer and teacher. What made me rethink my enrollment is the time it would consume from my schedule. As well as the expense of all the materials not covered by the $75 material fee.

Required Materials for the Class
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*2 Text books: $18+$32= $50
*Kodak T-Max Film (Minimum 10 Rolls): $5.25x10=$50
*100 sheets of photo paper: $85 a box
*Grey Card: $4.25
*35mm Camera

Required (Other Stuff...)
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*Print File-35mm negative storage pages (7 rows, 5 frames)
*Negative Cleaning brush/blower bulb or canned air
*Dry mount tissue
*Spotting brush
*Acid free conservation board
*Blades for exact-o knife
*Portfolio carrying case

+ $5.00 Student Coop fee to use community materials.
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Terri also mentioned that the materials listed is only the minimal required, and that students should be expected to pay $200-$300 out of pocket. For example, she said a student can easily go through 2-3 boxes of photo paper in one term. While I was sat there on the very first day, all I could think about was how much this class was gonna cost me and whether I should stay or go. Just the paper alone, 2-3 boxes. That's like $100-200 in paper right there! I have been saving up to buy a Digital SLR Camera, and with the cost of material from this one class, my dreams of owning a SLR camera would've been invested into other things that I would only use for one term.

I thought through it for 2 days and finally dropped the course Wednesday. Granted, I know I would have learned a lot about cameras and photography from this class, but then again it is possible to teach myself. I also have access to my sister and a few friends who are very familiar with SLR cameras. I had originally borrowed a 35 mm film camera from a friend for the class to save a little money, but I had not expected the cost of material to be so much. I guess I'll be returning that camera.

Did I make the right decision to drop the course? A course that would not have helped fulfill my digital arts requirements? Maybe or maybe not, what I do know is that I have more time on my extra curricular activities: Wushu training and the Hong Kong Student Association.

Note* Black and White Photography is a prerequisite course for Digital Photography. Digital Photography is not considered a Digital Arts course @ UO