As an incoming student, the list of ESem courses may seem daunting at first. The choice of which three to sign up for is even harder if you’ve heard some students say they loved their ESem, while others may not have liked theirs very much. The Emily Balch seminars make for a common experience for all incoming students, one that many find to be beneficial for themselves as well as their writing.

Each seminar’s topic is different from the next, so I would suggest that you read through each description and find the three that would interest YOU the most (not your parents, not your friends, but you!) – after all, you’ll be doing all the readings and writing papers on the topic! The papers themselves aren’t something to worry about. With regular meetings with your professor, you’ll have time to discuss and plan what you want to write. The papers themselves aren’t long and are focused on improving writing rather than being research intensive. ESem as a course places an emphasis on critical thinking and getting your words out as a way of improving, not so much focused on the mechanics of grammar. ESem is a learning process, one I hope you come to enjoy!