During the class registration weeks at UNC, every student is familiar with the frustrating ConnectCarolina process. If your desired schedule has been decimated from endless waitlist yellow triangles and class full red squares, the Editorial Board writers have chosen their favorite classes that students should consider taking.
Rachel Moody: Whether you pride yourself on being socially aware or scroll past every infographic you see on Instagram, everyone can benefit from taking Sociology 122: Race and Ethnicity. It examines the social construction of race and how it is embedded into our history and society, affecting us in ways we never considered. For me, it opened up an entirely new way of thinking about our world and my place in it. It is a reading heavy class, with assigned readings including W. E. B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk to Kim’s Racial Triangulation of Asian Americans (which changed my brain’s wiring). While it can be hard to resist skimming or skipping readings when things get busy, the real learning you do in this class will affect you your entire life.
Harry Black: In all honesty, the majority of people taking Chemistry 251: Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry are mostly doing so because it is a requirement for their degree (myself included). However, CHEM 251 was a flower in a field of weed out classes. By no means was this class a walk in the park, but with the help of the amazing Dr. Fostvedt, it was a course that I thoroughly enjoyed and felt passionate about. Furthermore, there was an overall range of subjects that could satisfy any chemist’s curiosity. With concepts ranging from molecular orbital theory, organometallics and strictly nonmetal chemistry, there really is something for everyone. As a senior chemistry major I’ve taken countless courses in this department and without a doubt CHEM 251 stands out as my favorite.
Mary Blake Nobles: Whether you’re a lifelong basketball fan like myself or you’ve never watched a game in your life, History 585: Race, Basketball and the American Dream, is a must-take. Dr. Andrews masterfully weaves the progression of basketball in the United States with its influence on integration and economic opportunity for Black Americans. The recitations, or “document workshops,” in the class are a place for meaningful discussions about ideas of race in relation to the readings and films assigned. By diving into topics like the Harlem Globetrotters and Michael Jordan’s influence, defining moments in basketball are a chance for considering apparent and underlying themes of racial attitudes, economic mobility and resistance. Dr. Andrews’ delivery, both witty and engaging, made it impossible for me to miss a lecture.
Kaveena Ponamgi: An important class that everyone should consider taking is Public Policy 101: Making Public Policy. The class reviews important challenges and considers both political and public policy-based approaches to solving them. While the class contains interesting content, it also teaches essential information for understanding social security, healthcare policy, environmental policy, tax structure and other issues that affect all Americans. There were consistent references to current news articles and speeches, keeping it up to date and relevant. The class is an excellent introduction to American public policy and modern challenges.
Madelyn Rowley: If you’re looking for a class to fulfill your FC-AESTHETIC capacity, I couldn’t point you faster in the direction of Music 145: Introduction to Jazz. Taught by the masterful Dr. Anderson, this class is a thought-provoking and pleasant look into the history, social implications and music theory behind the creation of jazz. The structure of the class ensured that finishing with an A was entirely within reach. The class assignments focused on live performances on and around campus, which opened my eyes to the talent and skill of our Carolina performing groups. Dr. Anderson is highly skilled and generous with a great sense of humor; his live piano performances during lectures were the highlight of my year. If you’ve ever wished your tests could’ve been based off of Spotify playlists, this is the class for you.
Eva Eapen: I opted to take Hindi-Urdu 101: Elementary Hindi-Urdu 1, because it would give me my language credits while allowing me to refamiliarize with a language I had long forgotten. HNUR gives you a space to make mistakes and experience the gratification that accompanies working to acquire a skill, day by day. The class allows you to get intimately comfortable with the intricacies of a beautiful language and build a community while you’re at it. If you’re looking to fulfill your language requirement and learn something simply for learning’s sake, I’d strongly recommend HNUR 101.
Delaney Broderick: English 66: William Blake in Pop Culture, can seem daunting for a 21st century first-year searching to fulfill the first-year seminar requirement, but the class is the most memorable from my UNC tenure. This seminar is for the English lovers, theologians, poets and students who can tolerate their theories being shot down without being spared the courtesy of kindness. It delves into the paintings and writing of one of the most interesting English poets and printmakers I have ever studied, contextualizing Blakean themes in our modern forms of art and culture — I wrote my final 12-page paper paralleling his “Introduction to the Songs of Innocence” and “Introduction to the Songs of Experience” to “This Night Has Opened my Eyes” by The Smiths. With loads of introspective religious undertones and poetry that speak to the human experience, I found myself often thinking with an entirely new sentiment to aging, loving, losing.
Mary Thomas Watkins: Led by NPR contributor and postdoctoral fellow Amanda Martinez, Folklore 571: Southern Music, surveys Southern music from its roots in the Jim Crow South to the current pop-country Nashville scene. If you’re any sort of music aficionado, either a country-music lover or hater, this class is eye-opening. Through documentaries, articles and albums, we learn Southern music is simultaneously a vehicle of, and against, resistance. By examining one of the most popular genres of modern music, we analyze our own prejudices and cultural preconceptions. If you’re looking for a laid-back, yet engaging class environment, I couldn’t recommend this class more. Get ready to listen and learn!
