Tufts Blogs

As a high schooler, I had no idea what college classes looked like. I was used to having six periods going from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm every day. However, college classes are nothing like high school classes. So, I wanted to talk about how college classes are different from high school and my experience with choosing classes. I am the first in my family to go to a college in America, so I was clueless about what to expect. As a junior writing this blog, there are some things I wish I knew earlier. So, I am going to share them here with you!

The first thing that I noticed was the class times. You no longer need to wake up at 6 am–unless you want to! You have the freedom to choose your classes and the time. The earliest class that I have ever had was 8:30 am and that is probably the earliest class time at Tufts. There may be some labs or recitations for a class that may start a little earlier than 8:30 am. Also, even within a class, you have some flexibility in choosing the time you want to take that class. Some classes have two or three sections, so you can choose whichever time that works for you. Lastly, for class times, 12–1 pm is usually an open block where most people do not have classes. However, I have had a class during an open block. For example, I am currently taking International Economics and it is from 12–1:15 pm. 

When browsing classes and the different options for the time that it is offered, it can be helpful to look at your schedule as a whole and think about the time you want to spend on meals, extracurriculars, and self-care. If your schedule allows, it can be helpful to have free time in between classes. In my sophomore spring, I had four classes in a row with only 15 minutes in between each class. It was not ideal, especially before classes were on Zoom because I would be rushing up and down the hill. Also, you do not have the same class every day so that can give additional freedom to do other activities. 

In addition to creating a reasonable schedule, the SHUs (credits) are also important. In the beginning, I did not know how much work was meant by 15 SHUs or 20 SHUs. They were abstract to me. However, as you start your classes, you can get a feel for the number of SHUs and the amount of work that goes with it. Personally, I took 15 SHUs my freshman year and I increased it to 18/20 SHUs my sophomore year. I had to increase it because I decided to double major in International Relations (TC3) and Community Health. One important thing to note for double majoring is that you can only double count up to 15 SHUs, and you can choose which classes you want to double count. 

I usually get asked if I have any favorite classes that I have taken at Tufts so far, and though some of them were challenging, I have a handful of favorite classes. They are not in order of any kind, and the classes include Medical Anthropology, Genetics, Healthcare in America, and Intro to Global Health. Some concepts overlap, and I think that led me to have a broader perspective on a concept. I think a tip to choosing classes, particularly in your freshman year, is to choose a class that interests you and allows you to explore!