<p>You are allowed to take 4 classes MAX your first semester, and believe me, 4 classes is not a lazy course load. It is not uncommon to hear of people taking 3 or 5 courses, but 4 is truly a full course load and is not regarded as something that needs to be exceeded (sometimes I get the impression that that is the case elsewhere from looking at my friends’ schedules at good state schools). But PE doesn’t count as a class, and many people begin PE in their first semester (although I didn’t). PE classes generally meet once a week, so it’s not very much to add onto a schedule. Art can be very time consuming and students often caution each other to think twice about using an art class as a light fourth (or fifth, after your first semester) course for this reason. </p>
<p>I should also add that my friend had a very stressful roommate experience–a combination of a wacky roommate and being a pretty easily disturbed person, I think. So her situation may have been compounded by that (although she was pretty good about keeping those things separate and using school work as a focus away from those issues). At any rate, especially since you have the language requirement fulfilled already, if you are truly interested in Arabic I’d say go for it. </p>
<p>Just FYI: If you were to take French 201/202 at Wellesley you would forfeit your AP credit (because it is considered the equivalent). Looking at your background in French I would assume that you are easily beyond that level, but I just thought I should make you aware of it.</p>