In selecting classes for next year, follow your bliss by exploring electives

Throughout the first semester of my junior year, I have taken many classes and experienced and learned many things. From one student to another, here are some classes that I’m glad I took. 

First and foremost, how I’m delivering this article to the people at CFHS, journalism. Journalism has always been a personal interest of mine with the caveat of never having anywhere to publish anything. I would recommend this class to anyone who enjoys writing casually, as it lets you apply it to your school career. The workflow of the journalism class is very different from other classes. Every week, students brainstorm article ideas, then they have the whole week until the next Friday to research, interview and write their stories. Then it starts all over the next week, meaning every week can be a new experience and chance to learn something that you had no idea about. From personal experience, this class got me outside of my comfort zone physically, visiting multiple parks across the Cedar Falls and Waterloo area to work on my article about exploring the great outdoors. You can find that article here. It is also important to note that the teacher of this class, Brian Winkel, is a very fun and easy to work with teacher.

Another class that left an impact on me was Modern Literature, a class I fell in love with from the first time I walked into class. I have always had an interest in postmodern literature and themes, and this class dives deep into the many aspects that make up postmodern literature. The most memorable parts for me were the books we read, each one still living in my head after leaving class, still floating around in my head. From Sing, Unburied, Sing to Exit West, each firmly has a spot in my memory. Another good part of this class is that it got me to actually read a book of my own choosing. Usually I struggle to find a good book that truly interests me, but after being told about One Of Us is Lying and reading it all the way through, it quickly became one of my favorite reads out of everything I’ve experienced. The writing in the class is surprisingly minimal, not regularly requiring multiple paragraph papers consistently.

The final specific class I’d like to point out is Wood Prod. Manufacturing. I would easily recommend this class to anyone who enjoyed IT classes at the junior high/middle schools, as it’s more of that: projects, working with your hands and piecing together your own side table and jewelry box. What sounds like simple projects can take a long time, requiring attention to detail and sanding, a lot of sanding. There’s not a lot to say for this class as its workflow is very simple: every day coming into class, you get to work on your project, whatever part you’re on. If you enjoy working with your hands and getting physical with your work, this class is the one for you.

Overall then, I think it’s important to say that not everyone will enjoy every class, but the electives are where you can find and/or explore your own passions and interests, hone your craft or learn something new, so when selecting your electives, it should be about what you want to do with your life.