In a scarfie world! What's a scarfie you ask? Why, it's a student at the University of Otago in Dunedin (known for the scarves they wore that were originally blue/gold and are now random but worn by everyone to stay warm). I've had classes for a week and a half now, and I am ready to talk about campus and my papers (classes).
Campus is beautiful. It is also huge. I mean, the main campus is pretty condensed, but as you reach the edges of the central area the buildings start to trail off into the city...and keep going! So, I am constantly finding new places to explore (and get lost around), study in, and keep warm.
Campus is beautiful. It is also huge. I mean, the main campus is pretty condensed, but as you reach the edges of the central area the buildings start to trail off into the city...and keep going! So, I am constantly finding new places to explore (and get lost around), study in, and keep warm.
The Centre for Innovation with the reflection of St. David Lecture Theatres.
There are so many libraries! At SLU, we have ODY (the main library) and the Science library. At Otago, we have a Central library and a Science library...but also the Dental, Education, Hocken (History), Law, and Medical Libraries.
Central Library. I've only been to Central and the Science library, so far. Central is huge, amazing, semi-quiet, and a little creepy. It's huge because I find a new section of this library every time I walk in. It is amazing because the architecture is beautiful, there are sculptures and art all over, and books, group-study rooms, and outlets are easily accessible. It is only semi-quiet because--depending on where you sit--you can be near the noisy Link (student area) or hiding in some corner. Finally, Central Library is creepy because of the "celebrity seats," shown on the left. This is a wall, four columns high, of study cubicles that overlook the rest of the library and other studying students. I wrote this post while sitting at the top level, and after initial discomfort, I did enjoy it. It's better than the study cubicles that are facing a wall. With those, I feel enclosed and trapped. These study spaces are airy and bright. The science library is cozy, quaint, an a little stuffy. It's one of the older libraries on campus, but there are plenty of resources, great technology, and excellent study spaces. It is also quieter than Central. I can only imagine that the other libraries are just as cozy and quiet.
The Leith River, which runs through the center of campus.
I am taking four papers this semester. Biology isn't a major here (but Zoology is, which is sweet), so I'm taking something from multiple departments. I'm in Animal Physiology, Maori Society, Voice & Movement, and Dress & Society. Each paper is unique in its own way, and I don't have a favorite class so far. But, I will put in a quick blurb about each.
Dress & Society is my first class of the week. This is the class I am taking that has the least to do with any of my studies at St. Lawrence. I am mostly taking for fun and to help me at my job in the Costume Shop at SLU. So far, this class has been the most interesting and engaging.
Next, I have my Voice & Movement class, which will count towards my minor in Performance & Communication Arts (PCA) at SLU. This class is basically the definition of the PCA program: all communication involves some bit of performance, while all performance involves some amount of communication. We are learning how to use and control our voice (then body) to better communicate either as a public speaker, actor, entrepreneur, doctor, person etc. This has been my most interactive class, because we have a lecture portion and a practical portion, where we get up and move!
Next, I have Maori Society. If I were to ever go through culture shock, it would be in the lecture hall for this class. The largest lecture I was ever in had 100 people. I made quite a few friends in that class by sitting in the same spot and sitting next to the same people every lecture. Here, I struggle to find an open seat and can never find the same person twice in this lecture hall..it seats 550 people (out of the 900 enrolled)! I have met a friendly stranger every class, though. So, Maori Society has been the newest experience for me.
Finally, I have Animal Physiology. If I were to pick a favorite class, this would probably be it, just because it is in my field. I didn't realize how much I had missed science over the summer until I had my first lab and talked about anything and everything scienc-y for an hour. Lecture so far has been a review of last semester's Cell Bio class, but it is a wonderful review and I am still learning new details. Plus, the members of the department are incredibly nice. They encouraged us to stop by their offices and say hi, tell them about our weekend, talk about any troubles we're having, or ask them questions about the paper.
Dress & Society is my first class of the week. This is the class I am taking that has the least to do with any of my studies at St. Lawrence. I am mostly taking for fun and to help me at my job in the Costume Shop at SLU. So far, this class has been the most interesting and engaging.
Next, I have my Voice & Movement class, which will count towards my minor in Performance & Communication Arts (PCA) at SLU. This class is basically the definition of the PCA program: all communication involves some bit of performance, while all performance involves some amount of communication. We are learning how to use and control our voice (then body) to better communicate either as a public speaker, actor, entrepreneur, doctor, person etc. This has been my most interactive class, because we have a lecture portion and a practical portion, where we get up and move!
Next, I have Maori Society. If I were to ever go through culture shock, it would be in the lecture hall for this class. The largest lecture I was ever in had 100 people. I made quite a few friends in that class by sitting in the same spot and sitting next to the same people every lecture. Here, I struggle to find an open seat and can never find the same person twice in this lecture hall..it seats 550 people (out of the 900 enrolled)! I have met a friendly stranger every class, though. So, Maori Society has been the newest experience for me.
Finally, I have Animal Physiology. If I were to pick a favorite class, this would probably be it, just because it is in my field. I didn't realize how much I had missed science over the summer until I had my first lab and talked about anything and everything scienc-y for an hour. Lecture so far has been a review of last semester's Cell Bio class, but it is a wonderful review and I am still learning new details. Plus, the members of the department are incredibly nice. They encouraged us to stop by their offices and say hi, tell them about our weekend, talk about any troubles we're having, or ask them questions about the paper.
A part of main campus.
Overall, all of the teachers are inviting, kind, and intelligent. The students are engaged, social and fun. And the classes (though mostly graded from the final) are interesting and low-stress. The atmosphere on campus is fun, relaxed, warm, and friendly. And everyone dresses so well! It's a beautiful, academic, and social campus that I love spending time at.
RSS Feed