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With shopping period just over the horizon, now may be a good time to figure out how to fill those four obligatory slots in your Crimson cart. Maybe you’re on the hunt for a GPA-boosting or Gen-Ed-fulfilling gem, or maybe you have no choice in the matter and want to know what you’re in for. We know scanning through hundreds of Q-guide comments can be dizzying, so Flyby has selected the most, shall we say, illuminating, and of course added our two cents. Here’s how former students frustratedly, fondly, and jokingly answered the classic question: What would you like to tell future students about this class?
ECON 10B: Principles of Economics
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The concise: “nothing” “not much” “it's hard”
The honest: “It's Ec10. You're probably taking it either way.”
The textbook: “The textbook. The textbook is the Bible for this course.” “Don't pay full price for the textbook.”
The Mankiw-hacked-the-Q-Guide-system-to-write-this-review: “This is important stuff—should probably be a required course for all citizens of the world.”
SCILIVSY 19: Nutrition and Global Health:
“The only thing this class taught me was how to spell diahrrea [sic].”
COMPSCI 51: Introduction to Computer Science II
“If you have been programming since you were in diapers, please move along.” Looking at YOU section kid!
“As cheesy as it sounds the course really makes you understand the elegance of programming.” *elegance*
“you may die in the class but you'll die with a smile on your face”
“Want sexy code? Take CS51.” Sexy wouldn’t be the first adjective to come to mind...but whatever you’re into, we guess.
VES 70: The Art of Film
“Be ready to travel through time and space to the 20's Berlin, the 30's Paris, the 40's Moscow and the 50's Manhattan! In this course, the past, present and future of film and film history become vivified... and so will your experience of film and its original referent—life!” Yes folks, this class will accomplish the inevitable by VIVIFYing your life.
SCIPHUNV 17: The Einstein Revolution
“no”
“YOU WILL THINK THIS IS A GOOD GEN ED COURSE. JUST RUN. TRUST MY SUGGESTION. RUN.” ALL-CAPS = THEY MEAN IT. RUN.
ECON 1011B: Intermediate Economics: Advanced
“This class is awful.”
“This class is painful. Only take it if you absolutely need it for your requirement. I hated every moment of it. The psets are horrible, lectures are terrible, and everything else is overly unenjoyable.” Now, don’t be such Debbie Downers!
SOC-STD 10B: Introduction to Social Studies
“THIS IS THE BEST COURSE I HAVE EVER TAKEN (NOT ONLY AT HARVARD) BUT DURING THE ENTIRETY OF MY LIFE!!!!!!” Chillllll
SLS 20: Psychological Science
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“Psych isn't a real science, I knew this going in but decided to give it a try- huge mistake. Get ready to bs a whole bunch of random assignments and read through an incredibly boring textbook. “
“Oh, and every year the midterm is on Housing Day. Dick move.”
“be prepared to get lessons on pinker's ideas”
“I think this course could be more honestly titled ‘The World According to Stephen Pinker.’”
HEB 1310: Hormones and Behavior
“This course is EVERYTHING. It will satisfy you in every single way possible - intellectually, personally, emotionally, etc.” Every single way? ;) hormonally?
Chem 27: Organic Chemistry of Life aka Premed Sucks to Suck
“Can't get out of taking it unless you waste thousands of dollars to take it over the summer and lose out on doing an internship or something.”
“I'm sorry. That's about it. I'm just sorry. You're life sucks, and I'm glad I'm done with it.”
“You're premed? You have to take it. So pray that you'll make it through.”
“Pray. I mean this non-religiously. You're going to need a lot of luck to get out of this. Good luck future Chem 27 students. May the force be with you.”
“Be naturally good at chemistry, and you will do well. If you are a hard worker who is decently good at science, this may not be the course for you.”
“If you're taking this class its because you have to... My best advice is to not be pre-med.”
SW 24: Global Health Challenges: Complexities of Evidence-Based Policy
“psets are annoying but not very time consuming. section is lulz, final is bs, midterm requires some studying (somewhat legit)”
“The material is shallow and it's a class that focuses on teaching someone "how to think", but if you're reasonably decent at graphical literacy, this class will not bring much to you.”
“Overall I recommend, but I haven't taken the final exam or done the policy paper yet.... maybe I should do that and get back to you COME BACK TO THIS”
Stat 104: Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Economics
“It's not a sleep through class.”
“Go to lecture instead of watching lecture videos”
“Great stat class if you need to take one and don't want to hurt your GPA”
“Parzen is literally my hero. I'm sure he doesn't know who I am, but I am contemplating switching my concentration to Statistics because of him!”
CLARIFICATION: January 16, 2016
A previous version of this article referred to two courses by their shorthand (EC1011B and SOC-STD10B). This article has been updated to clarify the full names of those two courses.