From biochemistry to English and psychology to Spanish, the Pleiad is made up of students from different academic programs, backgrounds and graduation years. When we’re not reporting on Albion’s Black student leaders or car break-ins on campus, we are all students, doing homework, preparing for exams and attending classes.
What follows are some of our favorite and least favorite academic experiences on this campus, and how you can benefit from our fortune and, hopefully, learn from our mistakes.
Editor-in-Chief, Bella Bakeman
Favorite Class: Writing Through the Pain (AKA, ‘Dealing With S—’), ENGL 125
I truly believe if you haven’t taken a class with English professor Jess Roberts, you have not gotten the true Albion College experience. As her advisee and admirer, I am incredibly biased, but I am also right.
Writing Through the Pain was the third literature course I took with Roberts, and we read some of my favorite books in that class: “Heavy” by Kiese Laymon, “Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds and “Tiger Rising” by Kate DiCamillo.
We talked about the messy business of being human and how to deal with the s—, literal and figurative, that occurs in our lives. But most importantly, we discovered the ways that literature can help us understand that s— and embrace it.
For my non-Englishy folks, this is a great class to take if you still need your Textual Analysis Mode.
Honorable Mention: Intro to Writing Creative Non-Fiction, ENGL 218W
English professor Helena Mesa is on sabbatical this academic year, and I feel so incredibly lucky that I took this class with her before I graduated.
Through this class, I found a love for creative non-fiction writing, a genre I did not even really understand yet.
Writing about your life is hard, messy and hurts sometimes – but it is also so rewarding. Mesa created an environment where I could write freely without judgment and was able to workshop my pieces and learn about new kinds of writing. I’d recommend this course to anyone who is interested in writing new kinds of things.
Worst Class: None to Speak of!
Every class I’ve taken, I’ve learned something from. Even if I didn’t love it in the moment, or even the following semester. As a senior, I can look back and recognize that all of the classes I took taught me some sort of lesson, whether or not I wanted to learn it.
Managing Editor, Bonnie Lord
Favorite Class: Groundwater, GEOL 302
With my advisor and assistant Earth and environment professor Joe LeeCullin teaching, plenty of department friends to struggle with and a subject that genuinely interests and challenges me, groundwater was everything I could want from a class.
The labs were fun and varied, we didn’t have too many exams and the assignments were consistent and clear. If you’re a STEM student, you know that this is the dream.
This class isn’t for everyone. It’s a 300-level course in the geology department, and demands a proficiency in algebra, at minimum. If you are interested and able to take groundwater, you should – it’s a blast.
Worst Class: Principles of Chemistry, CHEM 152
I struggled in CHEM 152, specifically in the lecture portion. Though the lab was relatively simple and fun, the lecture was harrowing. I didn’t click with the professor, the material was taught in a different way than I learned in high school and there was an exam every two weeks – no room to breathe.
The material was either completely unchallenging or totally out of my reach. I spent hours poring over the homework trying to grasp the questions, and hours more with an equally confused tutor.
Thankfully, with a lot of help and patience, I managed to pass. Remember, sometimes a subject isn’t poisonous to you – an experience is.
Features/Opinions Editor, Jocelyn Kincaid-Beal
Favorite Class: Intro to Writing Creative Nonfiction, ENGL 218W
In “Intro to Writing Creative Nonfiction” with associate professor of English Helena Mesa we learned how to write personal essays in different forms, like the hermit crab, and I found that very fun. I love to write, and this class challenged me to do it in a new, different way.
There was an emphasis in the class on peer editing and revision, and I appreciated hearing others’ perspectives on my writing and giving my own perspective on theirs. Our assigned readings were always interesting essays, so that was fun too!
If you want to get good, constructive feedback on your writing, or think about storytelling differently, this is the class for you.
Worst Class: Ethics, PHIL 201
My least favorite class has been Ethics – which makes me sound like a terrible person, I know. I learned in that class that I find philosophy really, incredibly boring.
It doesn’t feel useful to me to argue about vague, made-up scenarios when life is always so nuanced. Also, I feel like it’s not my business what people do with their baby’s bone marrow.
Why does everyone need to have an opinion on everything? (As opinions editor, I see the irony here). It’s like that meme where Ryan Bergara says, “What if those who get lost in the Bermuda Triangle are time traveling?” and Shane Madej says, “What if?” Shane in that quote is how I feel about philosophy.
Assistant Managing Editor, Killian Altayeb
Favorite Class: Biochemistry, CHEM 337
My favorite class was biochemistry – not just because I’m a biochemistry major and had no choice, but because it made me question all my life decisions while somehow making me love science even more.
When somebody tells you this class is a rollercoaster, they’re not lying! I somehow felt the entire range of human emotions every single class period, and then whilst studying three hours a night for it. Memorizing glycolysis – which I forgot right after the final, sorry Dr. Streu – felt like cramming the entire script of a play, but instead of set directions, it was enzymes deciding whether or not to cooperate.
Despite the stress, biochemistry was my favorite because it was the first class that made me feel like a real scientist – frustrated, caffeinated and weirdly excited about proteins.
I would recommend biochemistry to others if they enjoy a good challenge, occasional existential crises and the thrill of finally understanding something… five chapters too late. This class WILL teach you resilience because nothing humbles you faster than trying to memorize a chemical cycle and realizing you forgot it the next day.
However, it will also give you an appreciation for the utter chaos that keeps living organisms alive. One minute, you’re marveling at how ATP fuels life, and the next, you’re freaking out about how fragile it all actually is.
Worst Class: Physics I, PHYS 115
My least favorite class at Albion College was, without a doubt, physics. Not because it isn’t important – shoutout to gravity for keeping us all here or whatever – but because it personally victimized me on a daily basis. The problems always started out deceptively simple. A ball rolls down a ramp… and then suddenly, the ball is on an inclined plane, attached to a pulley, in a vacuum or moving at the speed of light.
Despite all the suffering, I technically learned some things… like how to suffer in silence, accept that my answer being off by a factor of 10 to the sixth is “close enough” and resist the urge to throw my calculator across the room.
Assistant News Editor, Heidi Faramelli
Favorite Class: Ballroom to Hell, HSP 172
Ballroom to Hell focused on Vienna from 1814-1815. You may think, “a whole class focused on one year?! Surely you didn’t learn that much.”
Well, let me tell you, this was one of the most informative classes I have ever taken. Emeritus professor Maureen Balke taught this class with whimsy and made history, a subject that has bored me in the past, something I was deeply invested in. We talked about Napoleon, the “Hell” that was the battlefield for men, the “Ballroom” that was where women found respite from the war and so much more. A highlight of this class was watching the 1995 “Pride and Prejudice” show, starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy (if you’re a “Bridget Jones’s Diary” fan, you understand why this was so exciting for me).
I read Jane Austen’s novel alongside watching the show (although it was not required for the class), and fell in love with the most iconic enemies to lovers to ever exist. Austen, thank you for inspiring one of my favorite tropes of all time.
I’d recommend others take this class to get a deeper understanding of the world around them. History may seem ancient and like something that’s no longer relevant, but we can learn so much about the way the world is today by looking at the origins of our world.
Worst Class: None, yet!
I honestly have not had any classes I didn’t like at Albion! I may be in the minority, but I’ve truly loved all of my professors and have learned something worthwhile in every course I’ve taken.
Part-Time Staff Writer, Sophia Valchine
Favorite Class: Family Matters, ENGL 123
I took Family Matters with English professor Ashley Miller my first semester. It was chosen for me, but I couldn’t be happier with that decision.
Family Matters is a broad overview of how to analyze poetry, prose and plays, all with the theme of family, hence the name. Miller was able to weave the basic knowledge needed in a 100 level class with activities and lively discussion that made everything so much fun. We drew costumes for characters, did silly exercises with meter in poetry and acted out scenes from the plays.
When we analyzed the poems, I felt like we were unlocking a huge secret once we figured it out, which made the whole process incredibly rewarding. English is my passion, and this class reinforced it.
Even if you aren’t an English major or minor, this would be a great class to take if you want to learn the basics of literature. We read from so many amazing authors and poets such as Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, Celeste Ng and Lorraine Hansberry.
The way Miller runs her class is very efficient and helpful to every kind of student. She will not hesitate to make accommodations. The assignments are never full length essays, they are made to be unique and challenge your thinking in very productive ways, and if something is too complicated, Miller will always respond to an email or give great advice during office hours.
Worst Class: None, yet!
I am very lucky to have loved every class I’ve taken in my first year of college. Not once have I dreaded going to any class for any reason other than the weather.
Volunteer Staff Writer, Solongo Tamir
Favorite Classes: Introduction to Public Service, PBSV 101
PBSV 101 is a required course for those who got into the Gerald R. Ford Institute, and I absolutely loved it. The only downside is that it’s taught at the Ludington Center, which is farther than any other location on campus.
This class was anything but passive – every week, we tackled new topics through guest speakers, field trips and hands-on activities like volunteering. Instead of just listening to lectures, we debated ideas, worked in teams and analyzed Albion firsthand. I attended a city hall meeting, researched the community and gained real insight into how I can contribute. It was a course that sharpened both my critical thinking and teamwork skills while keeping me fully engaged. I basically had two professors, and they were both incredibly funny, open-minded and engaging. They created a welcoming environment where discussions flowed naturally, and even complex topics felt approachable.
The class discussions were incredibly active; almost every time the professor asked a question, half the class would raise their hands, which encouraged participation. Sometimes, I even felt a little guilty if I wasn’t fully engaged because the energy in the room was so high!
I would highly recommend taking PBSV 101 because it’s more than just a class – it’s an experience that connects you with the community and helps you understand your role within it. The field trips are fully funded, so you get valuable hands-on experiences without extra costs. If you’re looking for a course that truly engages you – through real-world projects, discussions and community involvement – this is the perfect choice!
Worst Class: Introduction to Computer Science, CS 171
This course was required for my minor, and I actually enjoyed it up until the second midterm. The assignments were engaging, and I felt like I was making progress. But after that point, it became incredibly difficult for an “introductory” computer science course, to the point where it completely discouraged me.
I did everything I could – sought out peer tutors, classmates and even upperclassmen – but none of them were able to solve the last few assignments either.
It would be interesting for the paper to solicit feedback from the entire campus and develop graphics and summaries of the responses. These responses are understandably English focused since they are coming from the newspaper staff. But a more diverse sampling might be of more use to the wider campus community.