This is a tough class to rate. On the one hand, lectures are fun and full of spirit. Myth is wild. On the other, the exam was much tougher than I anticipated. I'm not bitter about this class, though I slightly regret taking it because of how the final felt for me. It seems like this was the case for my peers as well based on the chat we had after the exam. Don't let this dissuade you: I am certain you can do better than I (or we) did if you really commit yourself. (Edit: despite all the uncertainty, I somehow got an A)

It's a class on Greek & Roman myth, so the utility of the content is limited outside of you know, a classics context. Lectures always have a reading before them as do tutorial sections. This is the part where you're going to want to pay attention: do the readings. If you don't, you'll suffer on the final. Why not in the class? There's no layering because you only do three papers, so life is pretty simple. Each paper is 20%. Exam is worth 30% and the rest is participation/tutorial. Authors covered include: (Pseudo-)Apollodorus, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Hesiod, Homer, Titus Livius, Virgil, Apuleius, Lucian, and Proclus. Maybe others, I forget. Basically you'll read, then cover the story in lecture. You *need* good notes on literally every tiny detail because you'll be asked very specific questi...read more

Dr. Cousland is great. He's super nice and welcoming. He cracks jokes that sometimes land, and brings food/treats on movie days (we had a couple). He will answer any questions you have and is quite available outside of class. I don't know how he marks because I wasn't in his tutorial section.

I wish I knew what the exam entailed and what kind of notes I needed. That's my plea to you, the reader. I don't think you should worry about papers unless this is your first go-around writing a humanities paper in university. Also, readings aren't long but you have to commit yourself. Since you're not tested on them, they really need to stick in your brain, which means doing them in advance and reinforcing as the term goes on.

- PLEASE take this course with Tara. She's genuinely wonderful and such a nice professor. She's super chill and totally down to meme all these myths with you. - No exams or midterms, just a project once every 2 weeks. You can choose either a creative project (eg. a poem/short story/drawing) or an analytical short paragraph to write about the myths you read that week. You get feedback on each project after you submit and then at the end of the term you're free to make any revisions to any of them and submit them revised in a final portfolio. - The readings can be a little long and especially hard to get through because some of them are primary texts, but they're manageable.

Tara is an angel and she made this course so fun. Please do yourself a favor and take the course with her.

Your discussion group may make or break your experience - my discussion group was super chill and so it wasn't bad at