Thinking Outside the Block

Here at Tusculum we have something called The Block schedule. That means students go to class for three hours a day for eighteen days. ou're probably thinking, three hours a day? Does that mean I have to sit and listen to the teacher lecture the whole class period? Well, the answer to that question is no. You get a break every class, so it’s not just sitting doing work for three hours. The block schedule is a unique way of going to class, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Students here also have to attend the Arts and Lecture Series. The credits are designed to expose us to new ideas and cultures. You have to have attend four Series a year, sixteen for all four years at TC. The block and the Arts and Lecture Series are the main points in my freshman year that I am most looking forward to.

When you attend an Arts and Lecture series event, you get in for free with your student ID card. Just a sidenote: Make sure on Advanced Registration day you look good because they will take a picture of you and it will be on your ID card. Tuesday night Mark Rayburn was our Arts and Lecture event. He is called the World’s Funniest Guitar Virtuoso, and let me tell you he can play the guitar! He threw comedy into his act as well. I could tell he had experience playing guitar and talking in front of a huge number of people before. To me it was like he was also a motivational speaker. He told us that even if you don’t think you can do something just ask yourself, “what if I could?” or “what would it be like?” It made me think about the things I had put aside because I thought I couldn’t do it. Now I can ask myself "what if i can" and see where it leads me.

The block schedule is the reason I came to Tusculum, that, and it’s close to home. We’ve been in school for about two weeks now and I am very fond of the block. Right now I have class in the afternoon, 12:30 - 3:30. I'm taking English, and I have tons of papers to write! But that’s okay, because I have time to do the work.

Also, as a freshman you will have to take a class called Tusculum Experience, which gives you with information about the college. It sounds dull, but trust me, it helps! The block schedule gives you more free time to do what you want. Going to class for just three hours allows you more time to study and to do extracurricular activities.

~Hannah