Your most useful class

The first history class I took in college. It was always my favorite and best subject, but the textbook, one of Doug Brinkley's first efforts, gave a warts and all look at some of major events of U.S. History and explained how our country has sometimes moved forward by accidents, screwups and twists of fate. It made the subject and historical figures much more real to me and told me that many "average Joes" have made a positive impact on the nation.

 

High School: Oral Communications, English IV -- Had the same teacher for both. Not only did she teach us everything she knew, but like buck-dub, she taught us to think. Oral Comm was a fun class because we did the school play that year.

College: Public Speaking/Intro to Interpersonal Comm/Journalism 101 -- Had the same teacher for PS and IIC. Loved IIC because the class had 13 females and 2 males. The females were divided half young, half older, and I learned and grew a lot from that class. Even met a cute girl, who I'm still damn good friends with to this day.

Public Speaking got me out of my shell, so to speak. I hated speaking in front of the class, but this one was different.

Journalism 101 was my easiest class because none of the other kids in the class had any experience in the field like I did. More or less, I became the teacher's pet because of that and could miss class whenever I wanted due to "work reasons."

 

Athletic training. My basketball coach taught it, and it ultimately saved me hundreds, if not thousands in doctor's bills over the years as I treated my myriad ankle sprains with the old faithful RICE method.

 

I have two

Lifetime fitness and wellness; A trumped up way of saying gym class, but the professor's enthusiasm and quirky life quotes somehow motivated me to lose 46 pounds since the class started in January, when I was having trouble after I lost the first 35 or so.

African American Experience, 1865-present; For me, knowing my history was my main purpose in taking this class, but Dr. Yohuru Williams, who will go down as one of the most brilliant people I've ever met, gave me the courage and confidence to speak up and have an opinion and not to back down if you truly know your stuff. That last thing has made me somewhat of a smart-ass, but it was better than being quiet, intimidated neurotic SS like I was from birth until 22.

 

High school

Shop -- I learned to sit quietly, do nothing and respect authority

College

Hmmm. Well, I guess Journalism I. I was an English Lit major, so usefulness wasn't high on the list of why I was taking classes.

 

HS: Debate
Uni: Editorial Writing

Both taught me how to formulate sound logical arguments.

 

Band. Because my band director was the only one, family included, that ever thought I was worth a sh*t or would amount to anything. And he kept telling me that until I actually believed him. Years later, I worked in the same scholl district with him and saw him every Friday and Saturday at the football games. Lost a true friend when he passed away.

 

physics

 

You must be one of the oldies around here as well.
I learned on a manual machine with no letters on the keyboard.

FRF, JUJ, etc.

Oh, and Latin. Took it all through high school.

 

Took an athletic injuries course in junior college with my chiropractor. That was one of my favorite classes.

 

Non-journalism: Typing on an old-fashioned word processor as a freshman in high school. Got an A, and so did the senior who sat next to me. Kept him eligible to play baseball, too, and he actually thanked me.

Journalism: Journalism Law. Maybe not most useful, but by far and away the most interesting. One of the few classes in my life I actually looked forward to attending.

 

don't remember the name of the class, but it was my senior english class in high school. the teacher lent me machiavelli and i never returned it. i thought there was something kind of poetic about that.