Need Advice on IHUM Courses

Senior0991
Wed, 25 May 2011 16:34:10 +0000

^I figured that might be the case. Anyways if the information is not in the packet, then you can look on Courserank or email the professors and/or TFs. Anyways you’ll have reading and midterm papers at a minimum fall quarter (I think).

Unless you are very uncomfortable in one setting versus another, I would not recommend picking an IHUM on the basis of the final evaluation. I at least find it easier to motivate myself to work on a daunting assignment that I am interested in versus a simpler one that I don’t care about. Also, pushing ourselves into new and challenging experiences is a tenet of the liberal education. Some (many) Stanford students stay in their comfort zones*; sure they excel at what they do, but at what cost?

With that in mind, I say if you find an IHUM (or any class for that matter) that sticks out above the rest in that it greatly interests you, go for it! Many students here, for instance, will refuse to take an art class even though they secretly want to. Their parents, society, or peers often preach that undergraduate is a time for a form of vocational training. Stanford faculty in all disciplines are trying to dispel this notion. As a student, I want to do my part and try to dispel it too. Undergrad is one of the few chances in your life where you can explore without significant drawbacks. With few exceptions, there is no set undergraduate path to a given career.

With IHUM, you have an opportunity where you can greatly expand your horizons with little opportunity costs. Take advantage of this. The worst case is you are somewhat miserable in a class for a quarter and have a refined idea of what you do not want to do in life. The best case scenario is that you are profoundly changed for the better. There is a sizable minority that had such an IHUM experience, including me; I have no doubt that my fall IHUM will be instrumental in shaping the rest of my life.

So go for it! Take a risk! And watch what happens…

**Eiswein, though parts of my post are directed at you, I am not implying in any way that you are someone who only wants to stay in their comfort zone. There are, however, readers out there who will have this perspective, and most of this post is directed at those abstract persons.*