I remember my very first Tele-BEARS just a couple years ago. The confusion, the rush, the excitement to get to pick my very first college classes. Now, I have just completed my very last Tele-BEARS ever, on Tuesday, October 20th at 5:20 p.m., sitting down on a bench outside 79 Dwinelle, during my History of Political Theory Discussion, with my fellow classmates sitting inside talking about liberty and freedom, as dictated by Hobbes. As I finished submitting my 8 units for Phase I, I began to reminisce …

For my fellow Golden Bears, do you remember how long Tele-BEARS takes to load, and for your to finally be able to log in with your Calnet ID & passphrase? You had spent hours and hours planning that perfect class schedule, with lunch gaps and that glorious Friday off! But, as your log into Tele-BEARS and begin to enter those CCNs, everything begins to go wrong! That class got cancelled! One is full already! The third class only Friday discussions left open! FACEPALM What a nightmare!!

On the plus side, so many good class discoveries have come from the times when Tele-BEARS played its cold, cruel tricks on me. My personal favorite of all time was L & S 160B: Personal Development for the 16th century, taught by Professor Jack Phillips. This class was so out of my norm, but I loved it! At the beginning of every class, the 100+ person lecture hall would all meditate together in silence, breathing in and out, centering ourselves and being in the moment. During my time at Cal, I feel like I have been always on the go, never stopping to really think about the present because I was too busy looking at the future. Professor Phillips really encouraged breaking out of the traditional classroom setting, and opened our minds, questioning and bringing our minds to think in such unique ways as I have never imagined. I know that he is offering the class in this Spring 2016 semester, and I am actually half tempted to take it again.

Another professor I loved was Professor Darren Zook. My first class with him was Peace & Conflict Studies 10, an introduction to the field. My second was Politics of Southeast Asia. In both of these classes, I was enthralled by his passion for the subject matter, and he really puts an effort into bringing current events into the classroom. As a political science major, I am really surprised by how rarely professors connect theories taught in class with up-to-date current events, and I love how I was able to relate the past to the present, and even to the future with the contents I was learning in Zook’s class.

Education classes never failed. I have taken so many in my time at Cal, and they are a part of what inspired me to pursue this career path – becoming a teacher. Today, the current schooling system utilizes the banking method, where knowledge is merely “deposited” into students, and students are expected to make something of that knowledge. Berkeley has taught me about critical pedagogy, allowing me to question and express curiosity with everything that was presented to me in my classes. Despite having already completed my minor forever ago, I continue to take education classes for the knowledge and wisdom they offer.

This Tele-BEARS session went so calmly and smoothly; I was so surprised. After I clicked the last “submit” button, I was overcome with sadness. Berkeley has shaped me for the past 3.5 years and provided me the tools I need to succeed in my future, so I am eternally grateful.

Here are my two final Poli-Sci classes, the final two until I get my B.A. in Political Science!

Bye-bye Tele-BEARS! ❤

How did your Tele-BEARS go this time? Good luck to all you fellow Bears ❤