CU maggots: pass-fail classes you don't really have to attend?

[ColMan]

+1 for History of Jazz. I was (still is?) a T/Th class with a jazz band on Tuesdays and lecture on Thursdays. Cake.

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

Be careful with history of jazz, it is very dependent on your teacher, at least when I was there. I would say intro to psych or some history/comm class. The trick is to get into an intro level one with more kids. The more students, the less likely they are to do attendence. Intro to geology would be my suggestion

[JeffreyJim]

Weather and Atmosphere is a kick ass class imo. You'll dig it WHEN you go.

[ColMan]

Are there still shops in Boulder that sell lecture notes? That service (Class Notes) allowed me to enjoy a boatload of pow days.

[brice618]

I haven't been there, but as far as easy classes go generally your adviser will be more than knowledgeable.

Ontop of History of Jazz look at History of Rock and Roll. Also there are a lot of easy Beverage/ Hotel Mngmnt Classes. I have heard of one that is practically a wine tasting class.

As Z said, the "I only have to pass" mentality is going to make it hard. I got a D+ in physics in my last semester in undergrad because of that mentality and now I'm taking it as again along with a full load of grad classes.

[gorms]

Don't you have big post-graduate plans?

Not certain of your field...but P/F classes were not looked upon very highly in my field.

[gorms]

You could take this one for a grade......it is not hard and you can learn some stuff that applies to skiing.

Weather and Atmosphere is a kick ass class imo. You'll dig it WHEN you go.

[Cliff Huckable]

So... here's the situation: I'm registering for fall classes soon (my senior year), which is contingent upon finding two 3-hour bullshit classes in the spring. The idea is to take two real classes and fill in with another 6 bullshit hours pass-fail (in the spring), just enough to meet my 120-hour graduation requirement. This way I could ski my fucking balls off, focusing only on my last IPHY class and my photo class without having to worry about going to the other two classes much.

The question: Have any of you guys taken any "attendence not necessary" classes this spring or any spring, in which there are no clicker points, and you just have to show up and take some tests (no bullshit homework, etc.)? I couldn't care less what class it is, so long as I don't have to write, and all I have to do is study a little, take the tests, and show up to class once in a while, squeaking by with a passing grade.

Do foreign language classes fit the bill? ITAL 1010 or 1020 maybe? Looking for anything. I'd need 6 hours total.

Suggestions? Knowing this is possible will help me decide what to take in the upcoming fall... Many thanks in advance.

You're paying to spend a few years in the company of experts in their fields. This is likely the only time in your life you'll be able to study anything you want, explore something totally new to you, find something you're curious about - why not put in some effort and expand your view of the world? But, no. Instead of opening your eyes and mind you decide to do as little as possible.

I couldn't care less what class it is, so long as I don't have to write, and all I have to do is study a little, take the tests, and show up to class once in a while, squeaking by with a passing grade.

And you have a "photo class"? Wtf is that? Are you at a real university?

I'm not saying evereyone has what it takes to be "academic", but if you're in university or college why not at least try to make the most of it by taking it seriously? You can ski the rest of your life, you won't have this kind of opportunity to help your brain often, if at all.

When I did my undergrad I knew a quite a few people who just want to get by. I always wondered why they bothered with "higher education" at all. They were usually Business majors who saw university as nothing but a but a place to "get a job" (or a place to pass time before going into the family business), rather than educate themselves.
I guess I'm just old-school, I still believe university is for feeding your brain.

Carpe the fucking diem, Max.

[Tippster]

First off, I agree with nearly everything you say, Cliff. The opportunity to truly learn something like you have at a major University is very very rare once you're in the working world. However...

WTF is wrong with taking Photography classes? People can write, yet Creative Writing is a worthy subject, no? How about Literature classes? Are they superfluous after you learn how to read?

Nothing wrong with learning an artform/medium of communication. I wish more students would do so rather than simply focusing on business/econ classes, like you say (and I agree.) Where's the beauty in that? The "real" world is ugly enough.

[irul&ublo]

CU maggots: pass-fail classes you don't really have to attend?

Trying to find a way to schedule more time with Cool Ethan?

[Art Shirk]

I didn't go to CU, but I took Chicano Theater.

[Bob_Ondeeznuts]

History of Jazz FTW

[Deep Days]

History of Jazz and Weather and Atmosphere (if that's 6) sound real horrorshow. I actually really like jazz and forgot that I wanted to take that class. Good reminder. Weather and atmosphere sounds pretty cool, too. So... I'll probably be interested enough to want to go to class sometimes and particularly to study.

Root, the upper division IPHY classes next fall/spring will take care of the upper division hours. I made sure of that. Good lookin' out, though.

gorms: Hopefully I'll be in medical school by that point. My advisor says it's not really that big a deal to take advantage of the P/F hours your last semester, so long as you can justify it in an interview. "I'm retardedly passionate about skiing and am also curious about [insert subject here] but want to focus on exercise phys and photography" seemed defensible enough to her. I'm really hoping and planning to ownerize my MCAT, and I have lots of other fluff to fill in, so that 6 pass-fail hours won't matter.

Cliff: Lazy? That's bullshit. Next year is probably my last year ever to ski more than 50 days in a year. It's looking more and more likely that I'll end up in LA for medical school (that's 4 years missing out some), and after that I'm a resident and then a doctor working 60 hrs/wk. I love the hell out of skiing and feel on the contrary like I have the rest of my life to learn shit--I can just pick up a book and read about something I'm interested in.

Skiing 5+ days a week seems like it would be damn near impossible if I had to take every class seriously. Instead, I'll take seriously the ones I'm passionate about: physiology and, more recently, photography. I absolutely HATE to write papers. So why make myself miserable?

I don't just wanna "get by", period. I wanna "get by" to the extent that I'll have worked pretty damn hard for 7 semesters and would like my last one to be one that I can enjoy to the fullest extent, which means skiing as much as possible. For reasons that don't need to be discussed here, taking a year off to ski is not an option, so like I said: after next year, my days of skiing like a maniac are over. And I think that sucks...

Work hard, play hard. Not that I've been totally deficient in the playing, but I've definitely worked hard. And I'll damn sure be working hard after my senior year (medical school is no cake walk). I'd like a brief break to play equally hard.

and irul: I'll never have enough time with Cool Ethan. Never!

[warthog]

You're paying to spend a few years in the company of experts in their fields. This is likely the only time in your life you'll be able to study anything you want, explore something totally new to you, find something you're curious about - why not put in some effort and expand your view of the world? But, no. Instead of opening your eyes and mind you decide to do as little as possible.


And you have a "photo class"? Wtf is that? Are you at a real university?

I'm not saying evereyone has what it takes to be "academic", but if you're in university or college why not at least try to make the most of it by taking it seriously? You can ski the rest of your life, you won't have this kind of opportunity to help your brain often, if at all.

When I did my undergrad I knew a quite a few people who just want to get by. I always wondered why they bothered with "higher education" at all. They were usually Business majors who saw university as nothing but a but a place to "get a job" (or a place to pass time before going into the family business), rather than educate themselves.
I guess I'm just old-school, I still believe university is for feeding your brain.

Carpe the fucking diem, Max.

I knew somebody would stick their foot in their mouth. Figures it is this douche.

You don't get into Med School by "just getting by". Enough said.

Max- my only suggestion is summer school. Sux now, but it'll pay off next spring. I did a few classes in summer school. Once not by choice, and once because I did a semester abroad, and needed to catch up on 2 classes that were not offered in London. Summer school, in theory, sux ass. In reality, it is a relaxed ,nonchalant learning environment. Everybody wants to be somewhere else, including the prof., so it somehow becomes pretty fun. At least that was my experience. I worked all day, and took afternoon classes. It really wasn't too bad. Much better than busting my ass taking way too many classes during the semester, just to make up the credits.

Do it.

[Deep Days]

I knew somebody would stick their foot in their mouth. Figures it is this douche.

You don't get into Med School by "just getting by". Enough said.

Max- my only suggestion is summer school. Sux now, but it'll pay off next spring. I did a few classes in summer school. Once not by choice, and once because I did a semester abroad, and needed to catch up on 2 classes that were not offered in London. Summer school, in theory, sux ass. In reality, it is a relaxed ,nonchalant learning environment. Everybody wants to be somewhere else, including the prof., so it somehow becomes pretty fun. At least that was my experience. I worked all day, and took afternoon classes. It really wasn't too bad. Much better than busting my ass taking way too many classes during the semester, just to make up the credits.

Do it.

Meh, I'm totally fine with taking a bunch of difficult classes in the fall. I know how to do that by now (as I said, unlike Cliff Huckable's opinion of my academic performance, I've learned pretty well how to work hard). Most likely now the fall looks like neurophys with lab, biomechanics with lab, anatomy cadaver lab, and a foreign language or some other 5-hour class that won't bust my balls (always thought Italian was a sweet language). Just gotta fill the 6 "joke" credits in the spring. History of jazz and a weather class both sound pretty baller, whether they're easy or not.

Guess I forgot to mention that I need 12 credits in the spring as part of a scholarship requirement. If I'm not a full-time student, they don't give me any money.

[fish]

im taking that ATOC-1050 weather and the atmosphere class right now, but I'm pretty sure I'm failing because I've been skiing so much and skipping class. If you do end up taking it, make sure you dont get Dr. Keen. He's one of the worst professors I've ever seen, the class doesn't have any structure. I've heard other professors are better.

[Deep Days]

I've discovered the wonder of online classes. Fall will suck but spring will ROOL.

Fall 18 hrs:
Biomechanics with lab
Neurophys with lab
Cell Phys with lab
ITAL 1010

Spring 11-12 hrs:
Nutrition Health and Performance (online)
Intro to Econ (online) or perhaps Appreciation of Music (T 6-9 pm, pass-fail)
Anatomy lab (TR 4-6 pm)
Intro to Psych (online pass-fail)

STOKED.

[hev]

Another vote for history of Jazz. Glad I took that (at CU). Prof was really cool but I don't remember his name right now. I actually have a CD he gave me somewhere in the closet I think. I'll see if I can dig up his name for you.

Otherwise, earth sciences seemed to be the best classes to meet girls in.

[Deep Days]

Bump. I haven't registered for anything yet, but it looks like three online classes and one on-campus class.

The three online classes are Intro to Economics (4 hours, thinking this should be the one I burn the pass-fail hours on), MUEL 1832 Appreciation of Music (3 hours--may burn pass fail on this one instead, but I'm thinking not), and Nutrition, Health and Performance (3 hours--for my major, so I can't do pass/fail).

The on-campus class is IPHY 3415, Anatomy Lab. It's 2 hours, and all this together puts me at 120 hours exactly, graduating in May.

What I can't decide is whether I want to take Anatomy at 6 pm on Monday and Wednesday or 6 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. I think there's some flexibility on which sections I can attend, so long as I give my TA a day or two heads-up, but I may wanna plan around others' class schedules. Nicholas and Adam, when can you guys ski? SafetySquad, what about you? It kinda doesn't matter for Loveland cuz I can ski til 3 EASILY any of these days, but what it does determine is when I can go storm chasing. I absolutely CANNOT miss these labs, so I need to be able to plan for them.

Anybody thought about this enough to say definitively whether MW or TR nights are better for class?

I looked at the "time block" schedule on SchedulePlanner and cackled. It's gonna be a SICK semester.