GW McLintock

I need a drink.

I also need a flask; I have one somewhere but I haven't seen it in a few years. I'm going to Pennsylvania this weekend for school. This is the only time in the entire program I will have to step foot on the Villanova campus (well this, and again if I want to walk at graduation).

-J.

MSPeconomist

It's OK. Villanova has a pretty campus in a rather nice Main Line (ish) suburb of Philly. If you're desperate, it's easy to get into Center City for an evening.

kipper

It's not a horrible campus.

GW McLintock

I think we have plans both nights, but that's good to know! I will have a car and they'll have a shuttle bus to and from the hotel. One of the lectures we'll have to sit through is my absolute least favorite subject, ethics, so I was hoping to bring some liquid motivation.

-J.

MSPeconomist

Please don't bring an alcoholic beverage into a class unless you're *sure* it's allowed. There's a chance that Villanova forbids alcohol on campus or in certain buildings (such as academic buildings, including offices and labs as well as classrooms versus dorms and the student union) even among groups of people over 21 or requires special permission/permits for alcohol.

Chances are that alcohol (at least wine and beer) will be served or available for purchase at dinners or evening social events during the weekend. Otherwise don't do it. It's only one weekend.

Howste

Haven't you all heard of flask-based learning?

GW McLintock

Lol, I was kidding I wouldn't actually drink in the school building. Maybe when I was a kid, but not now. Example:

At the risk of going into OMNI territory... many years ago, I was taking a poli sci class on the history of Rochester. It was actually pretty interesting (and probably my favorite class I took at U of R). On my birthday I went in with a big cup of Diet Dr. Pepper (with some, uhh, stuff. A lot of stuff). After class I got an email from my professor saying she was proud of how much I participated that day and was giving me extra credit.

-J.

kipper

Or, unless you know the prof won't mind.
LOL, I had a prof who would conduct class at a local bar if everyone in class was at least 21.

jrl767

iirc there was a bar near campus (although it may have been in downtown Ithaca; maybe MSPeconomist remembers) called the Someplace Else ... needless to say, it was pretty high on every list when discussing alternative venues for lectures, recitation sections, labs, and the like

Howste

80 Prof.

kipper

Ours was usually at a decently expensive bar with a really nice patio. He'd cover the alcohol tab during class, and if the weather was nice, we would sit outside.

GW McLintock

If I ever got into teaching, this is how I would do class. I'd get the best student evaluations I bet.

-J.

kipper

He was a student favorite. I also loved his idea of independent study. For every credit, you were required to turn in a 5 page paper. So, if you needed 4 credits, you wrote a 20 page paper.

mattp1987

I was in the engineering honors program in college. As part of the program, we had to take four seminars that were one credit pass/fail courses open only to students in our program. The general idea was to ensure we had at least some liberal arts exposure since we weren't generally required to take classes in the College of Arts and Science (or as we called it Arts and Crafts) although I did take a few history and econ courses.

The best of these seminar classes I took was The Art and Science of Beer Brewing. Once a week for six weeks, we would meet at the parking lot near the engineering school, ride a bus to a local brewery, and have a class there taught by the brew-master. We had a professor with us as well, but we was more the administrator while the brew-master taught the course. I actually learned a great deal, and he would give us mislabeled bottles at the end of class; my roommates always loved when I brought home free "mystery beers" for our house collection.
"
As luck would have it, I took the course spring of my junior year and then was able to "audit" it the next year because they didn't reach the enrollment cap. There was quite a bit of paperwork involved to allow us to drink for class though. We had to sign forms saying we wouldn't drive for 12 hours after class even if we didn't drink along with some other disclaimers. I'm sure hte professor had to do a good amount of paperwork that we didn't even know about as well, and he had to make sure there were food (usually chips) and non-alcoholic beverages available.

kipper

I would've loved that course!