BY CHRISTINA FLUEGEL
I had no idea what to expect when I walked into school my first day of junior year. I had chosen my classes seven months in advance, and I had just went with what sounded good. In light of course selection cards being handed out this week, I’ve included a list of courses that I have found very beneficial in helping me survive the first semester of my junior year, for those who also have no idea which classes to take.
AP Psychology– By far the most intriguing class I’ve taken at Cooper, AP Psychology is a relatively easy course, as long as you read the book and take notes. I found the material not too difficult, but if you plan on taking this class and not reading, you will most likely struggle, unless you’re practically a genius. I’ve also come to find myself wanting to do my Psychology homework, and overenthusiastically sharing random Psychology facts with my peers, because the topics covered are interesting to me. However, I may be a bit biased as I want to major in psychology in college. Having teachers who really delve into psychology probably adds to why students love going to this class every day. The point is, if you like Psychology and find it fascinating, this course is a must-have on your junior year schedule.
US History Honors– Coming from someone who doesn’t do too hot in history, I must say, I was shocked when this turned out to be a class I looked forward to going to this semester. Having taken AP Human Geography and AP World History previously, finding myself drowning in coursework that I couldn’t be bothered to complete, I made a conscientious choice to not attempt another AP history course again. If you’re someone who doesn’t totally love History, and you can’t decide if you should take AP or Honors, I highly recommend taking Honors. I haven’t had nearly as much homework as my fellow peers who are taking AP, which has given me more free time to ponder life and do things I enjoy. Plus, funnily enough, I’ve found myself interested in American history, although I can’t tell if that’s because of how it is taught to me, or because of how genuinely fascinating the topics covered really are. Either way, I had to include this as one of my top courses, because I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it this past semester.
AP Language and Composition– For those of you who love writing and reading, AP Language is the course for you. A lot of students rush into AP Language, thinking it’ll be way easier than it really is, however, they soon realize that it is far from easy- you have to really earn your grade. Only take this class if you are willing to put forth the required effort, because you’ll be expected to complete a fair few amount of essays, read writing pieces and analyze their rhetoric, and constantly work on your reading comprehension capabilities throughout this course. It isn’t always easy, and while there’s a fair amount of homework, the driven, exhilarating class discussions have made this course a personal favorite.
Drawing 1- As someone who entered this class not able to draw anything other than a stick figure, I was desperate to expand on my artistic capabilities. If you’re like me, and you can’t draw if your life depended on it, this class will teach you the basics of art and drawing (I can now decently draw hands). Taking this class has helped ease the pressure of taking 3 AP’s for me, and I look forward to it because it’s so independent. Once the teacher has given the assignment you’ll be working on, you can just sit at your table and work on it with no disturbances and minimal talking. I also find drawing. coloring, and painting very soothing and relaxing, preparing me for a long day of AP classes.
AP Calculus AB- Personally, I would say I’m not the best of the best when it comes to math, but I’m also not horrible at it either. I don’t hate math, and I don’t love it- it’s just kind of there. AP Calculus has been difficult at times for me, by no means am I saying it’s easy, but if you apply yourself and do your homework, you should be able to pass this course and the AP Exam in May. However, if you despise math and aren’t the best at it, maybe take statistics or college algebra.
