Since I'm a chronic overachiever and don't know when to quit, I decided to take six four-credit classes this semester. In all honesty, it wasn't that bad of a decision; I love all of them and my professors have been a lifeline for me. On top of it all, I sometimes visit a seventh class on Mondays and Wednesdays. It's called South Asia in the Post-Colonial world and I've taken it before. My adviser teaches it and it's usually so dynamic that it's exactly what I need to get motivated sometimes.

Most students don't think about it too much, but professors are in a constant state of revision when it comes to classes. The syllabus of last year's class (when I took it) is drastically different from this year's. The professor covers most of the same issues — colonialism, war, history of India and Pakistan — but the readings and authors are different. This leads to a different understanding of the material, and I found myself coming across things I'd never learned before. The revised syllabus has a different book on Pakistan, which was published in 2014, and the book on India is much more user-friendly and readable than last year's.

Everything aside, it's as much about students as the professor. Because there is a different group of students this year, the class discussions, the material covered and the topics most felt and understood are different. Last year's class was more historical and local. Including myself, the class had five South Asian students, and we were familiar with the middle school understanding of our region's history. This year, it's different: Most people in the class are not of South Asian descent and there's a larger focus on imperialism, colonization and oppression, as compared to last year. I also find my understanding deepened because these students ask questions that I, having grown up in Pakistan, never thought of. They bring a fresh, unbiased perspective to class, and it's rather heartening knowing that even the same class taught at Connecticut College year after year will be different and fresh.