Winter Term '11: Course Preview

Trafton B.

January 5, 2011 - 10:18 AM

Winter break was amazing, and I mean it was really awesome, probably the best break I've had in my entire life! The reason I say that is because I don't think I've ever had as much trouble transitioning back to school as I'm having now. I've had to shake of some serious cobwebs. I even started to get a headache from drinking coffee during my first class on Monday morning. Originally I assume this was because I hadn't had much caffeine over break, but then I came home to find that Winston had the same experience in his morning class too, so we may have brewed an excessively bold pot of coffee.

Anyways, it's back to the books for winter term and I'm hitting the ground running. I'm really excited about my schedule thus far so I figured I'd give you a quick run down of my course load. Just like last time these classes are in chronological order.

Community Planning Workshop (PPPM 608). Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings my day starts at 8:30 AM with arguably the most important and meaningful course I've ever taken. The Community Planning Workshop (CPW) is the PPPM Graduate program's most touted course. It's a service learning program that gets students working on real projects, contracted to the CPW, with real community partners, real deadlines, real reports, real everything. Think of it like the PPPM department's version of the Environmental Leadership Program, except I'm working on city planning projects and I'm the only undergrad out of twenty-five students in the program. I'm in the big leagues now.

Thinking Sustainably (PPPM 399). After a hefty break I'll head to my next class, Thinking Sustainably, with Prof. Bob Doppelt. I briefly mentioned this course at the end of my post, What is ‘Sustainability'?, where I brainstormed the true meaning of the word. So far the class seems a whole lot more intense than I imagined. Before even delving into Doppelt's book, The Power of Sustainable Thinking, we're spending the first half of the class on studying ‘systems thinking,' which is proving to be immensely difficult to wrap my head around. He warned us it would be a tough topic, but everything would click eventually. Here's to hoping that will happen sooner rather than later.

Running (PERU 341). My theory behind taking this course was that I don't mind waking up early and I've been putting it off for too long anyways. I've heard that being in shape is nice. I remember soft of being in shape once - high school baseball isn't the most physically demanding sport out there - and I'd like to try that again. First day was a little rough, which I expected, but our teacher (or should I say coach), Joe Henderson, is sweet.

Billiards II (PEI 222). That's right, I'm taking another billiards class. Winston couldn't find time in his schedule, but I traded him out for my other roommates, Ross and Steven, and our buddy, Andrew. Smaller class, more talented players, and the best part is that our teacher, Bryson, will be playing with us in our class tournaments. First prize is a free pass on our only writing assignment for the quarter.

Views on the Environment (GEOG 462). Now we're back to my roots, so to speak, in the natural environment. This is the last course to complete my Environmental Studies degree - wow, that's frightening to say aloud - and I've been waiting to take this class in particular for quite some time. Our professor, Peter Walker, also taught my ENVS 201 course, which I took during my first term as a freshman. Loved him the first time around, and I'm loving the second time so far. He warned us the course is very reading intensive, which certainly isn't my favorite type of class, but I'm sticking with it. I'm figuring it'll be one really hard and really rewarding courses, and that's my type of class.

Into to the Non-Profit Sector (PPPM 280). Every term there is one class that I'm glad I'm taking because it won't be difficult. This is that class. Long story short, it's lower division credits, no tests, and half of our grade is based on student blog we keep during the term. I'm usually not one to count my chicken before they hatch, but I think I got this one under control

Sounds like fun, right? Well, I agree with you. I'm excited too. It's certainly going to be a lot of work, and let's not forget to add my regular work at Facility Services plus a part-time report-writing gig for the Salem Sustainable Cities Initiative

This term might be the end of me, but I seem to say that at the beginning of every quarter and I'm yet to be right about it. One step closer to graduation every day.