Creativity in Curriculum

One of my favorite parts of the College of Arts and Sciences is the opportunity for students to customize their schedule with classes that are both interesting and worthwhile. For me, some of my courses have given me tips to improve my time here at Penn, while not being within the same realm as my majors. One of these classes was WRIT 0390: Chess And/As Life. This class was a writing seminar; courses that teach you the main foundations of writing research papers, while also focusing on subjects that students find appealing. For me, Chess And/As Life focused on chess. I absolutely love chess, and play it often during my free time, therefore, having the opportunity to take this class grabbed my attention immediately. Here, we did our research about the game overall and its many factions: How is it portrayed in the media? How is chess viewed in different cultures?Is chess really a symbol of intellect or a response to sudden trends?. There were also times where the professor bought chess boards for us to play before the start of academic breaks. Overall, this class gave me the tools to write a strong analysis, while also enjoying something I truly enjoy.  

- Zoe M.