When I first enrolled in English 302 back in November 2014–wow that feels like ages ago–I wasn’t really sure what to expect. As an English major, I decided upon English 302 simply because it fulfilled a requirement and fit perfectly within my schedule. However, I soon came to discover that this was not your average, everyday English class, instead finding that we would be taking a look at everything from internet privacy to the race and gender of video game protagonists. That being said, I was initially skeptical when first overlooking the syllabus and upon learning of the large group-component of the class. Looking back on those first days of classes now, however, I can confidently say that I learned a great deal in English 302, especially considering the topic and subject matter of the class.

Throughout the semester, as we jumped from topic to topic, from Googlization to Video Games, I found an increasing level of relatability between myself and the course material. Whether it was the shocking lack of internet privacy and the controversy that surrounds it, or the many discussions centering on social media and it’s various effects, I found myself thinking more and more about how my life is impacted by these previously neglected aspects. The time spent covering television, for example, taught and showed me that television is more than just a box–well, a very flat box these days–sitting in the living room, but rather is a significant cultural component that greatly impacts more than I had ever imagined. These unexpected discoveries continued with topics such as the web series(my group’s focus) and video games, specifically regarding the diversity aspect. It was interesting learning about how the web series platform has allowed for more diverse “television” offerings when compared to traditional television. Additionally, learning just about everything I could possibly learn about the web series medium–something in which I had previously known nothing about–shed light into the people and DIY culture that drive it, something I found incredibly interesting. Video games, on the other hand, have experienced a noticeable lack of diverse protagonists, something that, as someone who has played his fair share of video games, I had not been previously aware of.

Overall, English 302 proved to be a complete surprise considering it’s status as an “English” class. However, this surprise allowed me to learn a great deal about things that I never knew that I wanted to learn about. While I wouldn’t recommend English 302 to everyone at UMass, it is definitely a class in which a student can learn a substantial amount of important information that might otherwise be overlooked.