As students begin to register for spring classes, the options can be overwhelming – especially for freshmen who are new to the process.

The catalog of electives on both Hammond and Westville campuses can be taken by many different majors, but some upperclassmen are happy to share their favorites.

Luke Bensing, a senior English major with a Secondary Education concentration, found a hidden passion in the Humanities courses.

“ENG257, The Literature of Black America, has meant so much to me here at PNW,” said Bensing. “You owe it to yourself to broaden your perspectives and dig into some of the best and most profound words, thoughts and art that touches on our shared history, culture and how we all are trying to make sense of the world.”

Bensing said that exploring Black American Lit “is a very important and worthwhile endeavor for anyone, and it will enrich you for many years to come.”

Kinsey Nicole Krachinski, a senior English Education major, said her favorite elective was ENG286, which explores movies through the decades, beginning with the 1920’s.

“As we analyzed … the movies, we sought a lot of comfort in our experiences,” said Krachinski. “This is what the movies do: They bring us closer together and help us explore our difference.”

She said the class taught her lasting lessons. 

“The greatest gift of all … was the ability to tell stories meaningfully, and to not hold any passion aside,” said Krachinski. “Embrace it, cherish it, believe in it. The magic is real, folks.”

Even though most students have language requirements to graduate, one got passionate about ASL, American Sign Language. 

“I have been interested in ASL since I was in fourth grade and I have been scouring for classes all over. When I found out that PNW offers it, I was literally elated,” said Gracie Wasemann, a senior studying Psychology. “All three of the ASL classes that I have taken made me feel extremely welcomed and gave me the confidence to keep pursuing it.”

In addition, Wasemann said she that ASL can be useful in daily life. “You never know when you’ll run into someone whose first language is sign,” she said.

Sarah Collins agrees.

“Sign language has been extremely beneficial for me and has made communicating with deaf patients much easier,” said Collins, a junior studying Biological Science who works as a nursing assistant at an assisted living facility in Hobart. “This elective has aided me in my career significantly.”

Collins also found her Forensic Death Investigations class, SCI290, to be really interesting. 

“After undergrad and Medical school, I plan to specialize in forensics,” said Collins. “Forensic Death Investigations gave me a clear insight as to what those professionals handle every day and encouraged me to advance my knowledge within those realms.”