Sophomore Year Slump?

We’ve all heard of it.  We’ve all dreaded it.  We’ve all still managed to fall victim to it in some way.  Some argue that the idle mind is its catalyst, others say it’s the result of feeling burned out after the first-year inferno of eagerness and energy.  At CC, one would expect a similar phenomenon: it would make sense if students tackled their first few blocks with ease and then suddenly grind to a halt as a result of the stress and weight of subsequent rounds of intensive study, right?  Over the course of these first few months back on campus, I have found only the contrary: as we students of the class of 2018 transition from the tentative stages of freshman year into the more driven phases of second- and third-year learning, we have begun to blossom in a brilliant display of creative potential, academic capacity, and a confidence that is unwavering, for we are now returning to our home field, and we are ready to amaze.

Hello!  My name is Sam Dahnert, and I am a member of the class of 2018.  I hail from Poughkeepsie, New York, and I am currently considering an Independently Designed Major in Architectural Theory, followed by two years’ undergraduate education in engineering through the 3-2 Plan.  My academic experience insofar with Colorado College has been in Film, Physics, Theatre, Philosophy, Anthropology and Art History, and like many freshmen, I was originally so taken aback by the passionate and engaged atmosphere of Colorado College that I could hardly imagine committing to a single major!  Fortunately, my interests have evolved thanks to my peers and advisors, and as a result I am much more confident in my current plan of action.  Outside of the classroom, I am heavily involved with student theatre, and I work for the Theatre Department in the scenic shop.  In addition, I am passionate about photography and film, plus I’m an avid skier (when in season).  I chose CC for its unique approach to segmented learning (much akin to my education in progressive private schools) and its options to pursue engineering along the line.

My current block, AH200: Modern Architecture, will prove to be one of many determining factors in choosing a major over the course of this year.  Returning to campus at the start of this year, I was excited to get back to work and enjoy CC’s unique campus atmosphere, but I knew that this year was overshadowed by the dreaded lull to which many of my friends from back home had already fallen victim.  However, I knew that something else lay ahead for me: the unique and supportive educational atmosphere and my expansive involvement with on-campus activities was bound to ensure that my mind would not go idle, and my time at work was never too overwhelming.  This block has proved just that: in the midst of field trips, class discussions and engaging reading and writing assignments, my time on campus has been far from a lull.

This first week and a half of class has been utterly fantastic.  Our class of nineteen has delved headlong into an exploration of modern architecture that is an art history course in its finest form: in addition to reading into elaborate backgrounds of social movements and events that influenced architects of the last century and a half, our class has also participated in two open discussions of upcoming structures on campus that embody many modernist principles and the evolution of design.  In addition, our class examined and gave presentations on existing modernist buildings on our campus, to shed light on the evolving principles and ideologies that influenced their designs.  To cap it all off, yesterday was our first of three day-long field trips off-campus to experience modern design outside of the CC world: on our class excursion, we roamed the streets of the beautiful business district of Denver, taking notes on many of the structures in the area, including the State Capitol Building, the Civic Center and Union Station.  I could ramble for paragraphs upon paragraphs about being able to witness first-hand the aesthetic pleasure of these structures, but I figure this post is getting long enough!  I suppose I’ll write a follow-up to cover the rest of this past week in detail.  The most important thing I have taken from these last few weeks, to be brief, is that CC always has a way of making learning fascinating.

I look forward to keeping track of my progress through this block via this blog…  I’ve never written one of these before, so please excuse the discombobulated, rambling language.  The next one will be much more concise, I promise.

Also, feel free to comment on this post if you wish!  I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Fodder for the next post is always appreciated.

Until then, readers.

Sincerely, Sam Dahnert