As a first-year at Whittier College, you will be required to take an INTD writing course, which is a great way to connect with your classmates and a professor who will help you start your first year strong.
This class will count for three credits of your required fifteen for the semester (including January) and will fulfill the Community I requirement. I wrote about these other requirements here.
This class will have a max occupancy of sixteen students, all first years, making it a great opportunity to meet and bond with your classmates. The professor of the INTD course will become your faculty mentor and advisor until you declare a major.
This class was a lot of fun. I remember making friends with many of my classmates and navigating my first year with them. We made a Snapchat group and started hanging out with each other outside of class. As a student who lived on campus, it was a great opportunity to meet first-year commuters who I might not have met had it not been for this course. Almost three years later, I’m still friends with some of these people.
Not only was it a great bonding experience, but a learning experience as well. In this class, I really learned to improve my writing skills, both analytically and creatively. The professor, who was my first-year advisor, gave really helpful feedback and critiques. Being a successful writer is a principal skill to have in college regardless of your major and something you will always be asked to improve on.
My advisor, Professor Chihara, had meetings with all of us to discuss possible majors and explained the Whittier Scholars Program, which allows you to design your own major. She helped us navigate our way through the first semester and explored the schedule of classes with us when spring registration rolled around. She gave great advice for picking out classes and recommended different professors’ courses.
This is a really important course and a good requirement. I learned a lot both academically and practically. With whatever professor you end up with, you’ll be in good hands. They will guide you through your first semester and really make you feel comfortable within the college experience.
