The class of 2021 at Bluffton University is just about done with the first semester of their senior year. Being a member of the student body for the past four years, these seniors have been able to form their own convictions about classes and the times they are at.
Bluffton University gives students the opportunity to study from a range of over 85 majors and minors. This in turn makes it so there are a lot of classes for students to choose from, ranging from major/minor-oriented classes to general education classes and to electives.
Students can have classes start from as early as 8 a.m. to as late as 6:30 p.m.
Madison Ament. Photo by Sarah Heydinger.
Madison Ament, senior speech pathology major, said her favorite classes were developmental psychology and introduction to nutrition because of how interesting they were and how she could retain the information well.
“I liked having classes in the late morning, like 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. or early afternoon because I can sleep in just a little bit and be done for the day before 3 p.m.,” said Ament.
Her developmental psychology was at 10 a.m. and her introduction to nutrition was at 11 a.m., which aided in her liking to them. It helped her be more alert and engaged in said classes.
As opposed to 8 a.m. classes, Ament said she was able to get up, but it was very hard for her to be “with it” in the class.
Students can have night classes that meet once a week from 6:30 to 9:15 p.m.
Ament said if she could, she would make it so night classes met on both Tuesday and Thursday for an hour and fifteen minutes instead of for three hours on one given night. She said three hours is a long time for someone to actively pay attention without a break.
Senior music education and business major Julian LaVallee’s favorite class from just this year is sales because of the professor, Melissa Green, and the general knowledge he’s gained from the class.
Just like Ament, LaVallee prefers classes to be in the mid-morning or the early afternoon. He said the 8 a.m. classes are tough, and it is a bit tough on him this year for the fact he has a history class so early in the morning. The same goes for late afternoon classes.
“If you have a class that you don’t enjoy at that time, it just can kind of drag on,” said LaVallee.
Julian LaVallee. Photo provided by Julian LaVallee.
Like Ament, LaVallee said he feels more engaged when he has classes in the mid or late morning or in the early afternoon. He has really enjoyed the classes he’s had at those times and has been in the learning mood.
“My freshman year in the fall, I had a 1 p.m., a 2 p.m. and a 3 p.m. [class],” said LaVallee. “It’s hard to be able to be focused at 3 p.m. just because that never was a thing in high school.”
LaVallee said he wishes there was more variety in the classes which occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He said most of his major-oriented classes occur on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and most electives seem to occur on Tuesday and Thursday. On those days, LaVallee said he hardly had any classes and not having classes gave him a displaced feeling at first until he was able to manage his time better.
With the current COVID-19 pandemic, students have been spaced out and wearing masks when in the classroom. If not being physically present in a classroom, students meet up to have class over Zoom.
Being on Zoom last semester and a little bit this semester has caused Ament to rethink her judgment of 8 a.m. classes.
“I feel like with any in-person class at all after having such a long time of having Zoom classes, I feel like any in-person class regardless of the time is kind of nice,” said Ament.
