![\"Room](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2014\/06\/SS-2118-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>First, some logistics: use the course calendar and timetable to find something you are interested in that fits your schedule. Room locations are posted in the timetable, and it\u2019s a good idea to look up the rooms and how many people they fit on this handy Academic and Campus Events website<\/a>.\u00a0You\u2019ll want to pick a class in a mid-to-large size room, as they\u2019re more likely to have some extra seats than a small seminar room.<\/p>\r\n It\u2019s generally a good idea to let the professor know that you\u2019re interested in auditing the course, especially if you will be attending every lecture and the class is small. (Psst: no one will notice if you slip into a large auditorium with extra empty seats!) Note that you probably won\u2019t have access to a syllabus because only students enrolled in a class can access material on Blackboard.<\/p>\r\n The course I chose to audit was SOC 265: Gender and Society<\/strong>. I\u2019ve always been intrigued by sociology. Though the field concerns many of the same concepts as my psychology major (I took a course in the psychology of gender in my fourth year), I thought that it would be interesting to look at the social systems around it, rather than how it affects an individual.<\/p>\r\n The main thing I noticed was that it was actually easier to focus and pay attention when I knew that I didn\u2019t have to memorize the material, and instead could engage with it on my own terms. I was able to take notes on points that seemed important or fascinating, rather than trying to capture everything the professor said. Later in the week, I read some of the books mentioned in lecture and found it a much more enriching experience than whipping through a chapter the week before a test.<\/p>\r\n I\u2019m hoping to take some of this mind set with me when I take grad school courses in the fall. Of course I won\u2019t be able to opt out of exams, and will inevitably have to speed through some readings faster than I\u2019d like, but remembering to appreciate actual learning over performance will help me stay relaxed and focused. Funnily enough, I\u2019ll probably do better too.<\/p>\r\n In the name of trying new things, next week I'll be going to the Hart House gym for the first time - on Saturday June 7, you can get free access to the gym for National Health and Fitness Day<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"2014-06-03](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2014\/06\/2014-06-03-13.55.17-1024x768.jpg\")
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