I Love the Honors Humanities FIG!
When I first heard about the Freshman Interest Group program (a.k.a FIG) during summer orientation I thought it sounded like a horrible plan for my college career. This stemmed from the fact that I thought joining a FIG meant I would have to take the same core classes with the same students all four years. Although I now realize the stupidity of this, at the time I had determined not to join a FIG. However, once someone explained to me that the FIG only lasted for the first semester and I would receive an extra honors credit I decided to join. And as sappy as it sounds, that was the best decision I made for my freshman year at college.
I was overwhelmed the first day of class when we went around the room telling something interesting about ourselves. Listening to everyone’s backgrounds I started feeling like my life in Sidney, Montana had been pretty boring. That night I called my parents and told them about the people in my FIG; one girl had spent the summer canoeing in the Arctic, one boy went to boarding school in New Hampshire, and another reminded me of the professor in Legally Blonde. I wasn’t sure if I would have anything in common with anyone or if I could make any friends in this group. Thankfully as I finally began learning people’s names, I realized that these were great people and was grateful that I had joined our FIG.
Being in our FIG has been great, both academically and socially. Working with such amazing writers has prompted me to try and improve my writing. After we read our renditions of the “I Have a Dream” speeches I read my pathetic paragraph and realized I needed to work hard to make my writing better. I also love having my ideas challenged by people with such a variety of opinions. I had never met anyone who hadn’t read any of the Bible or someone who hated Wal-Mart. I enjoy listening to people’s arguments in ENEX and reading everyone’s blogs. I had never been concerned with legalizing marijuana, but because Jamie has such passion for this I found myself wanting to learn more about it.
More importantly than what being in this FIG has provided me intellectually, is what it has given me socially. Being in a FIG was like the college handing me a package of friends; after spending so much time in class together it was inevitable that we would start being friends outside of class. I am fairly shy and know that if I hadn’t of joined the FIG I would have spent all my time with Natalie. While I love Natalie and still spend a lot of time with her, I needed to make some new friends. I only had a few close friends in high school so I loved having friends here who liked me, even with all my oddities. (Any of you have spent time with me know that I am crazy. Stalking, throwing pumpkins, Food Zoo paranoia, and that’s just the beginning.) Being in this FIG has also pulled me out from under my rock, especially concerning music. Thanks to the help of my fellow FIGers I will soon be able to recognize every Dave Matthews Band song ever recorded. Being in the Honors Humanities FIG (which is obviously the best) has been the greatest part of my experience at the University of Montana.
When I first heard about the Freshman Interest Group program (a.k.a FIG) during summer orientation I thought it sounded like a horrible plan for my college career. This stemmed from the fact that I thought joining a FIG meant I would have to take the same core classes with the same students all four years. Although I now realize the stupidity of this, at the time I had determined not to join a FIG. However, once someone explained to me that the FIG only lasted for the first semester and I would receive an extra honors credit I decided to join. And as sappy as it sounds, that was the best decision I made for my freshman year at college.
I was overwhelmed the first day of class when we went around the room telling something interesting about ourselves. Listening to everyone’s backgrounds I started feeling like my life in Sidney, Montana had been pretty boring. That night I called my parents and told them about the people in my FIG; one girl had spent the summer canoeing in the Arctic, one boy went to boarding school in New Hampshire, and another reminded me of the professor in Legally Blonde. I wasn’t sure if I would have anything in common with anyone or if I could make any friends in this group. Thankfully as I finally began learning people’s names, I realized that these were great people and was grateful that I had joined our FIG.
Being in our FIG has been great, both academically and socially. Working with such amazing writers has prompted me to try and improve my writing. After we read our renditions of the “I Have a Dream” speeches I read my pathetic paragraph and realized I needed to work hard to make my writing better. I also love having my ideas challenged by people with such a variety of opinions. I had never met anyone who hadn’t read any of the Bible or someone who hated Wal-Mart. I enjoy listening to people’s arguments in ENEX and reading everyone’s blogs. I had never been concerned with legalizing marijuana, but because Jamie has such passion for this I found myself wanting to learn more about it.
More importantly than what being in this FIG has provided me intellectually, is what it has given me socially. Being in a FIG was like the college handing me a package of friends; after spending so much time in class together it was inevitable that we would start being friends outside of class. I am fairly shy and know that if I hadn’t of joined the FIG I would have spent all my time with Natalie. While I love Natalie and still spend a lot of time with her, I needed to make some new friends. I only had a few close friends in high school so I loved having friends here who liked me, even with all my oddities. (Any of you have spent time with me know that I am crazy. Stalking, throwing pumpkins, Food Zoo paranoia, and that’s just the beginning.) Being in this FIG has also pulled me out from under my rock, especially concerning music. Thanks to the help of my fellow FIGers I will soon be able to recognize every Dave Matthews Band song ever recorded. Being in the Honors Humanities FIG (which is obviously the best) has been the greatest part of my experience at the University of Montana.
posted by Bridget Farr @ 9:53 PM
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