The rise of human civilization is marked by the development of ever more advanced materials, i. e. Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age?. How will future historians refer to our time? Perhaps it is the Age of Polymers? Polymers encompass a broad spectrum of our world from the readily available commercially plastics for packaging, to the cutting edge, such as the wings of advanced aircraft, or flexible electronic devices (example foldable phones). The DNA that encodes the blueprints for life, and the proteins that build our bodies, are also polymers.

Listening involves pausing the commotion of the mind, paying close attention, and accessing one?s inner thoughts and feelings. Through systematic study of mindfulness techniques and interaction with guest performers, students will deepen their ability to listen to and appreciate music. Weekly homework amounts to twenty minutes of close listening to assigned recordings, and a thoughtful reflection that can be completed by 1-page double spaced paper, video response, or other creative means. Students will also learn to share and listen to one another share about music.

Have you always wanted to learn to play the ukulele? Do you love to sing by yourself and with others? This seminar will help students explore their musical side in a fun and supportive environment. Students will: (1) learn ukulele basics, including tuning, chords, strumming patterns, and fingerpicking, as well as a variety of songs they can play and sing by themselves or with others; (2) learn about the history of the ukulele and its iconic performers and ensembles; (3) create and perform their own ukulele and vocal cover song arrangements.

This first-year seminar offers you the opportunity to read and discuss some classic writing about human relationships with the natural world, and to make your own contribution to this literature. It also offers a chance for 50 minutes each week to improve your attention skills by turning off your cell phone, tablet, and laptop; by putting aside your personal concerns and the pressures of school; and to experience what is in front of you in the present moment.

Chinese Americans make up the largest Asian American community in the US. However, little is taught about their history in higher education. This seminar introduces students to not only the history of Chinese Americans but also the issues and challenges they have been facing since the mid-19th century. Central themes include ethnicity, race, gender, and empire.

Having a plan helps you achieve more and stress less. Learn how neuroscience can inform goal setting and time management strategies that can help you create an effective first-year plan that focuses on balance, productivity, and well-being.

Images abound. They fill our social media feeds, they are staged to convey our aspirations for ourselves, and they increasingly hold powerful sway over our cultural discourses. Critic Sean O?Hagan has called photography ?the medium of our time, not just defining our globally connected digital image culture, but propelling it.? In this class, we will practice Dr. Jennifer Roberts? concept of ?deceleration?

Yoga is so much more than physical exercise! This course is designed to introduce the curious student (who might never have taken a yoga class before or who might be a dedicated yogi) to mind-body connection and practices of yoga that happen on and off the mat. Our goals will be to deepen our knowledge of yoga and ourselves so that you can feel confident going into yoga classes, move safely in the way that your unique body craves, and engage mindfully in the mental and spiritual practices off the mat that can help you study, learn, and live with greater ease and self-confidence.

Whether you believe in them or not, ghosts have become a ubiquitous presence in our culture. On TV you might come across one of several paranormal investigation shows; in literature you might read a ghost story from Edgar Allan Poe or Angela Flournoy; you might even overhear people talk about hauntings at the Deerfield Inn or Smith College?s Sessions House. This course will explore the cultural meanings of ghosts and haunted places.

From Apollonius' epic Argonautica to the Old English poem The Seafarer to William Shakespeare's play The Tempest to Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick, the ocean has always enjoyed a special place in literature. This course will reevaluate these nautical texts from a legal perspective. How do our readings of certain works shift when we analyze them through the prism of the laws and customs of the sea? We will ponder the question from two complementary angles.