In a not so distant past, I had to select my classes with nothing more than word of mouth working its way down the undergraduate grapevine. At my alma mater in Beantown, we had to register a semester in advance. At times, we did not know who the instructor was. Summers would be spent in suspense, awaiting the unveiling of the mysterious professor.

On Telreg Sundays, we waited with baited breath in front of our computer screens, watching the different classes and seminars fill up. Cries of anguish echoed through the halls as seminars closed; desperate students sought those with the coveted early registrations times, begging, calling favors and selling firstborn children in order to get into their desired classes.

When I decided to take a Spanish class at Yale, it was a shock. These kids can comparison shop! I heard some undergrads saying that they would spend the morning seeing which section of Elementary Spanish was best for them. As I sat in the first day of class, I soon realized that was an hour I would never get back. We spent 44 minutes, 59 seconds and 12 milliseconds, regurgitating the following dialogue:

¡Hola!
¡Hola!
¿Como te llamas?
Yo me llamo Taylor. ¿Y tú?
Yo me llamo Kara.
¡Chau!
¡Hasta la vista!

I was suddenly stuck in an episode of The Twilight Zone. All I wanted was to improve my written Spanish, not subject myself to a partial lobotomy. I ended up being cut from the class, as I was not a high priority student.

And so I continued on my quest, seeking the perfect class for my Spanish needs. I stumbled upon Spanish for Bilingual Speakers, jumping for joy! No more frivolous dialogues; I would get into some gritty grammar analysis, in-depth discussion and writing. However, that joy was short-lived as that class was cancelled due to low enrollment.

Once again, I set sail upon the unknown seas of course shopping. I am being buffeted about from one class to the next, hoping to find a safe haven. I’ve one last chance before I give up in despair. Now it is my turn to beg and plead for mercy. Please let me in! Who really needs the first born anyway!