Looking at what classes to take next semester

so Midterms have passed, and now it is the time at Syracuse when everyone starts to assemble their schedule for next semester. Usually, art history students take 5 courses a semester- two studios, two art histories and one academic elective. This semester I stuck to that exactly. But you see, I have a problem here. In high school, I did some college work that transferred into the university so I am a little bit ahead. But not quite far enough ahead to be able to easily graduate early, especially if I plan to go abroad to Florence next fall.

I am one of those people that is very financially aware, and does not spend extra money if she doesn’t have to! I figured out that to graduate on time (in the normal four years) and go abroad next fall, I have one open course time, one blank space in my schedule over the next five semesters… Now that may not seem like much, but that means that I only need to take four classes. If I graduate in 3.5 years instead (four semesters left), all I would have to do is take one extra course each of those semesters. I could save some money and maybe have an upper hand on the job market (since hardly anyone graduates in December). On the negative side, I would be extra busy and probably pretty stressed out.

It is hard to make these kinds of decisions!

At least I am enjoying picking out classes- there are so many studios that I want to take!!

-printmaking (lithography, serigraphy, or relief)

-Jewelry and Metalsmithing (as a continuation of the intro class I am now, I can take metal casting or “color on metal”)

-ceramics- wheel throwing OR handbuilding

-“video sketchbook”- every two weeks, you turn in some kind of a video (self chosen direction) and have it critiqued by the class. I enjoy working with the video camera and editing short films, so it could be fun! only drawback here is that I would need to use Final Cut to edit (I currently use iMovie). There are computers in the lab with the programs on them, but we will see.

-Photography- just intro to B+W film- pretty straightforward.

-Fibers- basically a fibers installation course focused on large/ architectural work

-extreme knitting- pretty much what the title says. I love knitting! Sometimes I stay up late like a little old grandma knitting… haha.

And of those, I can only take two! How will I decide?!