What I’m taking this semester! by Jenny B. '25

Classes start tomorrow! today! I started writing this at 11:55PM and now it’s 12:45AM.

I haven’t done a “what am I taking this semester” post in a while, because I think I jinxed sophomore fall last time. I shudder every time I look back on 6.3700.⁠01 Intro to Probability Although 6.1200⁠02 Mathematics for Computer Science was fun! But I digress.

This is the first upcoming semester that I haven’t felt so apprehensive about. It’s mostly because I have a lot more freedom to choose what classes I want to take now that I’m close to finishing my major (which is surreal), but it’s also a mindset change that’s come with becoming a senior, I think. I haven’t necessarily become “smarter”, I’ve just become used to working on assignments for longer periods of time. I’ve also grown an “idgaf if you think I’m stupid, I’m just here to learn” vibe to cope with imposter syndrome, and that’s generally improved my state of mind.

And honestly, there isn’t a single class that I’m not looking forward to! Which is also a first for me. There was always at least one class that I was reluctant to take.

Overview

• Robotic Manipulation [6.4210]
• Computational Cognitive Science [6.4120]
• Digital and Computational Photography [6.8371]
• Art of Comic Book Writing [21W.744]
• Intro to Film Studies [21L.011]
• Archery, for the first quarter of the semester

Robotic Manipulation [6.4210]

CI-M (Communication Intensive in Major)⁠03 CI-Ms are part of the Communication Requirement in your major. Not only do you learn technical information, but you also build up the skills needed to communicate it. This could involve oral presentations, research papers, and other visual reports.

Introduces the fundamental algorithmic approaches for creating robot systems that can autonomously manipulate physical objects in unstructured environments such as homes and restaurants.

I have to take one more CI-M, and I’ve really wanted to take a robotics class. Robotics team was one of my favorite parts of high school, and robotics is the main reason why I ever got interested in AI in the first place. I’ll be lying if I say I’m not a little apprehensive, but I don’t have anything else to say other than that I’m quite excited for this class.

Plus, I could end up becoming a cool super villain or something.

Computational Cognitive Science [6.4120]

EECS elective

Introduction to computational theories of human cognition. Focus on principles of inductive learning and inference, and the representation of knowledge.

I picked this class on the basis of “I have no idea what this is going to look like but it sounds dope” + good class rating.

There’s an alternate universe out there where I kept following my 6th grade interests and majored in brain stuff instead. Think about it, I’m writing this blog post because a meat blob full of electricity and chemicals is telling me to do it. That’s neat. Since the class is going into probabilistic and statistical modeling, I won’t be straying too far from what I’ve already learned.

Digital and Computational Photography [6.8371]

AI+D_AUS (Advanced Undergraduate Subjects in AI + Decision Making)

Presents fundamentals and applications of hardware and software techniques used in digital and computational photography, with an emphasis on software methods. Provides sufficient background to implement solutions to photographic challenges and opportunities.

I’m going to be honest, I just picked this class because its rating was really good. The more I think about it though, the more I’m looking forward to it.

I begrudgingly took Advances in Computer Vision [6.8301] last spring because I had to complete a CI-M by the end of junior year. Despite the issues that came from the unprecedented number of students who enrolled in the course, I ended up liking CV so much that I’m considering it as a possible field to delve into. 6.8371 is going to be a neat addition to that knowledge.

Art of Comic Book Writing [21W.744]

HASS⁠04 Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Students are required to complete eight HASS classes throughout their entire undergraduate period.

Students create short scripts and full-length comic book narratives across a variety of genres, while analyzing a wide range of comics (corporate and independent, print and web).

I’M SO SO SO SO SO EXCITED. I’ve wanted to publish a comic longer than I’ve wanted to do anything science and engineering-related, but I’d intimidate myself out of it every time. The longest comic I’ve worked on is this Harvard x MIT fanfic my friends and I made in freshman year, but I would like to create things that won’t get me sued by the Ivy League.

I had no idea 21W.744 was even offered this fall until a friend told me that she was taking it. Since it’s a limited enrollment class and I didn’t pre-register for it, I was nervous that I wasn’t going to get in, but I did!

Intro to Film Studies [21L.011]

HASS (CI-H)⁠05 Communication Intensive in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. CI-Hs are a subset of HASS classes that require graded spoken assignments and at least 5,000 written words total.

Concentrates on close analysis and criticism of a wide range of films, including works from the early silent period, documentary and avant-garde films, European art cinema, and contemporary Hollywood fare.

I’m taking a second HASS to nurture my arts-loving soul. 1/4 of my YouTube recommendations are video essays made by film students, and there was a period in elementary school where I thought I wanted to become a movie director. We also get to watch a movie every Monday night!

Although, this is probably the class that I’ll drop if the semester gets too hectic. Every CI-H is built different, but they typically involve a good amount of writing. I have no problem writing essays, but they can be a time sink.

Archery

I put off my last PE requirement to senior year, but I decided to get that out of the way. I used to do archery back in middle school, so this is a fun throwback.