143

Classes
Posted on December 3, 2014 by David M Willis

143 thoughts on “Classes”

  1. Jen Aside

    but what of the ICE CREAM

    INQUIRING MINDS MUST KNOW

    …for reasons

    1. Jen Aside

      also yay background porn

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        Wouldn’t background building porn have more erections?

        1. Catullus

          Normally so, but the Showalter Fountain makes up for it.

        2. Plasma Mongoose

          At least something is getting all wet. 😀

        3. thebombzen

          The clock tower is a metaphor for a towering cock

        4. Jen Aside

          also that huge bush

        5. AustKyzor

          That building in panel 3 kinda looks like a penis if you squint…

        6. JA

          I see it as a praying mantis…waiting to strike the next unaware student with his face buried in his phone that walks by…

        7. kurodansei

          At first I thought you were crazy, but then I scrolled back up and I TOTALLY SEE THE PRAYING MANTIS! (I’m crazy too now)

        8. Rowen Morland

          Such a good avatar for that.

        9. la6ue mous snow angel

          Clock tower cock power?

        10. Plasma Mongoose

          +1ed

        11. Tobias

          Dirty pun aside, yes- it seems to be an unwritten rule that a college campus must have a construction or renovation project going on somewhere at all times.

        12. Max

          Oh man, don’t even get me started. xD I go to Purdue and an entire building has been under internal renovations since before the semester started.

        13. Robin

          I was going to reply that my uni doesn’t follow that rule, but then I realised that yes, yes it does.

    2. Tunaro

      It got ate. May its creamy goodness rest in peace.

      1. Jen Aside

        but was it HALF(-ISH) AS PROMISED

    3. Vree

      boot to the head flavor.

  2. Camachri

    Keepin’ it classy, Willis.

    1. Jen Aside

      requisite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj3dIo8PDjs

      1. thebombzen

        I think it’s called “Another Brick in the Wall, Part II”

        Wait that’s the first panel, Willis you sly dog

  3. Raine

    Wait. I totally forgot they actually have classes.

    The drama llamas have taught me otherwise.

    1. Doctor_Who

      They have classes when we aren’t looking. It’s stealth education.

      Ninja Rick is a master of it. He takes so many classes we never see him at all.

    2. thebombzen

      But what about the dromedaries? Do they write drama diaries?

    3. Slinx

      Wait, there are classes *other* than that one math class and Gender Studies? Joyce is actually in a class? What, what?

    4. Lord Geovanni

      so guests can just sit in and get a quality education for free

    5. Hinoron

      By reading this strip, one would assume nearly every character spends 3x as many hours in the daylight taking naps than they spend in actual class.

  4. Dreadhawk177

    Silly Joyce, college is one 24/7 vacation!

  5. Kaunisenkeli

    The most normal reaction Joyce has ever had to anything.

  6. GoogerGeiger

    Kind of boring for a book title, don’t you think?

    1. David M Willis

      Between then and now, I stumbled upon a way better one.

      1. Rabid Rabbit

        Oh, good, I was about to say much the same thing. (Still think ‘Keep you prepubescent sexual lust offa me’ has potential, but ah well.)

        1. Lawzlo

          I dunno, “Keep Your Prepubescent Sexual Lust Offa Me” sounds like the sort of title that would land you on a government watchlist.

        2. Rabid Rabbit

          Either way, this last panel is one malaproprism away from being a Family-Circus-Goes-to-College line, so let us all be grateful it will not be a title.

      2. Plasma Mongoose

        “Between Then & Now, I Stumbled Upon A Way Better One.” Now that’s what I call a book title.

        1. Robin

          “Now That’s What I Call a Book Title”. It’s a bit meta, but I like it

  7. timemonkey

    This strip has considerably less sexual tension.

    1. Dreadhawk177

      Went from like a dozen different social conflicts to chillaxin’ with Becky in 24 hrs. Good work, Willis. Keep it up.

      1. MrSirk

        Are you kidding?! Did you see how they were walking across that waterfall? You can cut the sexual tension with a knife.

  8. MrSirk

    Now you just need some cheesy ninties style walking around music.

    1. Benjy

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSHUVcVjdgg

      1. Hoboturtle

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Bj-7b0rC4

        Oh wait…. ya, probably should go with what you chose, Benjy.

        1. Benjy

          Is it ambiguous though?

      2. Bill

        How long has this song been out, and why have I not heard it before?

        1. Benjy

          Since about Anastasia, and I don’t know, did you ever see Anastasia?

        2. Bill

          Did not ever see ‘Anastasia’.  But I’m surprised I haven’t heard this at karaoke at least once.  God knows I’ve heard “Summer Nights” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” often enough.

      3. Kelly

        Do you remember Billie’s “stab everything” plan? Now I want to implement it.

        1. Benjy

          LIIIIIIIIIIIFE IS A ROAD THAT I WANNA KEEP GOIN’ LOVE IS A RIVER I WANNA KEEP FLOWIN’ LIFE IS ROAD NOW AND FOREVER WONDERFUL JOURNEYS

    2. Tenn

      “ninties”

      You spelled that wrong.

      It’s spelled “eighties”.

      😛

  9. Plasma Mongoose

    They have classes?

    1. MrSirk

      I haven’t even seen a teacher besides Leslie and computer guy.

      1. cesium133

        There’s the math professor who showed up briefly. And Jason, if TAs count.

        1. Jen Aside

          also Penny!

        2. -Sentinel-

          I hope we see more of her.

    2. nothri

      So I had always heard. I went to the registrar’s office and asked if I could multiclass as a sorcerer/cleric/monk and whether there was a level cap. You can not IMAGINE my disappointment.

  10. Khaner

    But What class is this?

    1. Disloyal Subject

      Well, judging by the seating layout… I have no idea.

  11. eostby

    A sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with, now over a year out of college.

  12. JVastel

    Honestly, much as I enjoy this comic, I’ve often wondered about the amazingly small amount of time spent in any class besides Gender Studies.

    1. Jen Aside

      There was math!

      and… the AFTERmath

      1. tyersome

        Sum thing I can’t resist is the calculated integration of multiple math puns …

        Everyone add your own (try not to be too derivative) and we can have an infinite series …

        1. Deanatay

          I’d use Googol, but I’d prefer to be origin-al. Plus, we haven’t reached our quotient for the usual puns.

        2. tyersome

          Excellent, we’re now primed for some real square mathochism. This could get punishing but with luck we won’t wipe-out Willis’s website with wackiness.

        3. Tenn

          I mean to approach this from an angle of my own, but almost all my puns are kind of average. Not ‘cos I’m obtuse; the root of my dilemma — a sine of aging, perhaps — is that my math brain has gotten rusty. I could Euler up, but I’m afraid if I got going, I could be stuck her Fouriers.

        4. tyersome

          Ten points for Tenn — you are two modest!
          This opens up a whole new range of possible puns, and while I would like to claim that I missed this approach because it’s outside my usual domain, it was probably a function of failing to think outside the box.
          Now that you’ve pointed this out, I can see that there was an acute lack of geometry. I think your segment is a ray of hope for this thread and lines up well with what was wanting.

    2. Plasma Mongoose

      Joyce was going to college to get her MRS degree so I doubt she chose any intensive subjects.

    3. Rabid Rabbit

      Oh come on, it only took us… about four years to receive confirmation that Ruth actually goes to school, as opposed to just bullying freshmen for fun. (Also math, and computer science, and whatever law class it is Sarah and Jacob are in.)

    4. timemonkey

      We only see what is involved in class if it’s interesting or a punchline. We see Gender Studies so much because so many characters are in the class, as well as Leslie. It’s the same reason we see Math and computer class.

      1. C.

        We also see Gender Studies because it’s a place where Willis can make on-topic assertions about elements of popular culture.

    5. 3oranges

      I like the idea that Dumbing of Age could have been an educational comic by showing long passages from the lectures they attend and Jason trying to explain differentials to Sal.

      But I can’t really fault Willis for deciding that’s not what he wants to do with it.

      1. Jen Aside

        also, that’s XKCD?

    6. fogel

      If they took classes how would they have time for the drama they were hired to engage in?

  13. LiamAldam

    Thanks for summing up my life at the moment with a simple sentence.

  14. Opus the Poet

    nice tour of the IU facility…

  15. -Sentinel-

    Hey, the leaves are starting to turn yellow. About time.

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      One season change every four years, that’s faster than I expected for DoA.

      1. Kelly

        To be fair, it was almost fall when they started. Winter is a long ways off…

        1. Robin

          Winter is coming (in 2021).

  16. Kernanator

    Some classes are pretty neat, but I still agree.

  17. AgentKeen

    Ooo, so what class is this?

  18. Boomwolf

    I haven’t hit college yet, anything I should legit freak out about?

    1. Disloyal Subject

      The price tag.

      1. -Sentinel-

        That’s mostly for you ‘Mericans.

    2. Barf Ninjason

      Well, don’t drink yourself to death.

    3. Leorale

      If your high school was easy and your college is hard, then learning how to actually study.
      Have fun and learn all the things!

    4. Jen Aside

      Your roommate will be a jerk, no matter who you get. I don’t know how that works, but it’s the Truth.

      [unless you and/or your roommate are never in the room, then nbd]

      1. Jen Aside

        [[although Sal somehow proved that wrong by being a jerk to Billie by not being there, oops]]

    5. Jess

      EVERYTHING!

    6. Nicknack Paddywhack

      In most majors, you can get through college by being passively fed data and regurgitating it on exams, working and learning as little as you can in the process. By doing this you get a diploma. You also totally miss the point of college and waste some of the best years of your life.

    7. Dragon_Nataku

      Most advisors don’t really give a crap about the actual advising parts of their job. They just give you whatever schedule they think you should have and don’t really bother telling you what you need to take for your major.

      Not really something to freak out about but good to know ahead of time. Best thing you can do (unless you actually get one of the rare advisors who care) is make friends with a sophmore or junior or someone else who’s been through the ropes already and can help you figure out what courses you need to take for your major/general ed. reqs/etc.

      Also, some school systems are wonky and will actually allow you to register for courses even if you haven’t taken the pre-requisites for that course so keep an eye out for things like that.

    8. Leorale

      Actually, you know what? You don’t need to freak out at all. I mean, parts of college are difficult and/or stressful, but you can handle all of it. You’ve got this. Good luck!

  19. maarvarq

    Sounds like a good title to me.

    1. WeezerLuvr3030

      No! All book titles should be Agatha quotations. She’s the heart and soul of this campus!

      1. la6uɐ mous

        Agatha… Christie?

  20. Idon'tcarenomore

    Nice artwork of the campus.

    Best advice: read your textbooks or ebooks as fast as you get them. Give you a leg up on the studies as assigned. Keep the partying to the weekends. Watch what you smoke. Don’t get in the habit of sleeping in past those early classes.
    As an American: I’d advice you to go for grants and scholarships and get a part time job. I worked full time and went to night classes or worked nights and went to day classes. Took me 6 years to get my degree but, I paid off my student loan 2 years after getting it. Going out into the world with a $30k loan or more on your back it just ridiculous. imo

    1. Jen Aside

      also, you can apparently pay NO TUITION in a few other countries, even as an American

      1. cesium133

        The article is a bit deceptive. Many of the programs it talks about are graduate programs, and, at least in the natural sciences, those are generally free in the U.S. as well. Plus it keeps mentioning that you don’t have to learn the native language of the countries. But, if you’re going to another country to study, what’s the point of not learning the language? As for Brazil, I’ve been there (as a visiting scientist rather than to take classes), and you cannot get by in Brazil without learning some Portuguese. The classes may be in English (although the masters defense I saw while there wasn’t), but nobody outside of the university speaks a word of English.

        1. Dragon_Nataku

          Hell, I was at FIU here in Florida for a couple of semesters and some of THOSE classes were taught in Spanish. Fortunately I speak Spanish but I was like, did I suddenly get transported back home or what.

  21. Twinkle Toes the Berserker

    She’s not wrong. Although I miss fencing and ceramics and choir.

    1. Jess

      I wish my college had fencing.
      I had it in High school and was pretty good. I’m probably really out of practice now. :/

      1. Clif

        Just buy some barbed wire. It’ll come right back. :/

    2. Rutee

      I fucking loved every part about most classes except showing up right on time. I prefer 5 minutes late.

  22. mai876

    And finals Joyce. Don’t forget finals.

    1. Kelly

      Classes are fine. Finals are fine. It’s the homework that gets me.

  23. winter

    Just woke up and only 62 notes?! After Willis slaved over those backgrounds?! For shame!

    1. Thomas64

      Still only 77 now, another five hours later. Either the Internet is broken, or pretty pictures and lack of drama provide insufficient inspiration for the usual volume of wise-assery.

      1. Yotsuyasan

        Well, today’s comic, as beautifully drawn and nice to look at as it is, doesn’t really provide one with much meat to sink one’s commenting teeth into. Would get pretty monotonous fast to have 300 comments of, “Beautiful looking comic, Willis!”

        Mind you, it is true. And I’m sure Willis wouldn’t mind seeing such heaping praise… But still, it does tend to start seeming redundant after a while.

        But, aw, what the heck. I wouldn’t normally, but I suppose one more couldn’t hurt.

        Ahem…

        Beautiful looking comic, Willis!

        1. 3oranges

          You know, with your avatar, “beautiful looking comic” just seems like a lead in to “…shame if anything were to happen to it.”

        2. Yotsuyasan

          So, there, Willis… How many characters have you got in your comic, then? Oh, that’s a lot. You ought to be careful, Willis. ‘Cause, what I mean is, things break, don’t they?

          You see, my brother’s clumsy, Willis. And when he gets unhappy he breaks things. Like say, he don’t feel that webcomic artists are playing fair by him, he may start breaking things, Willis.

        3. Roborat

          And don’t get me started with my other brother. Nobody wants to have to talk to Dinsdale.

    2. Bill

      Don’t mind me.  I’m just basking in the beauty and the detail of said backgrounds.

  24. Romanticide

    I actually like the classes, the exams were the ones that made cry, and at times the homework. But the classes I did like a lot.

    1. winter

      Yeah, going to class to listen to overenthusiastic lecturers, to have heated debates about the historical basis of the modern Turkish state, or to watch professors blow stuff up in their chemistry demonstrations… That was all part of the fun at college. If only we could have had classes without all those goddamn assignments.

      1. Cephalo the Pod

        “Overenthusiastic”? You lucky bastard.

        1. winter

          i no rite. I had horribly boring professors too, but the professors who agreed to lecture the 400+ people classes were usually the kind of crazies who practiced telling the jokes they used in the lectures in the bathroom mirror the night before.

  25. A Scientist

    These are lovely.

    ….show off…

  26. Belgain Du'Ran

    Wow. Must be nice to go to a college that’s not so paranoid as to say the only people allowed inside the classroom/lecture hall are people actually enrolled in the class…

    1. John

      My experience is that they don’t much care who attends classes, so long as they’re not disruptive. You can get as educated as you want; you just can’t get the piece of paper that says you are unless you pay them lots of money.

  27. Kevin

    Man, she must have gone to a different college than I did…

    (“It clearly states which college she goes to!”)

  28. thumb

    That’s why I never went to mine.

  29. Vree

    She even follows her to class, that’s dedication.

  30. Val

    This job would be great if it wasn’t for the customers.

  31. Nicknack Paddywhack

    As a college professor, I approve this comic.

  32. DSL

    My campus had no scenery. We had old old buildings, a couple modern-ish Lego blocks, a library that was meant to look like books on a shelf, and a student services building that looked like a Kodak Carousel slide rack, since replaced by something that looks like it’s either sinking into the ground with your soul in it, or rising from the ground to claim it. From my first dorm room, you could see 50 miles. Classes were a relief.

    1. Bill

      “… replaced by something that looks like it’s either sinking into the ground with your soul in it, or rising from the ground to claim it.”

      That’s one helluva descriptive turn of phrase.  Mind letting us know where this place is?  I’d like to see a picture of it.

    2. cesium133

      I’m rather disappointed that the university I’m currently at tore down and replaced its architecture building. It was always fun pointing out to people that the architecture building was the one that looked like it had collapsed on itself.

  33. TheLurkerAbove

    My goodness. All the backgrounds. Brilliant stuff – Willis shows he can draw as well as he can write.

  34. Bill

    “… replaced by something that looks like it’s either sinking into the ground with your soul in it, or rising from the ground to claim it.”

    That’s a helluva descriptive turn of phrase.  Mind telling us where this is?  I’d like to see a picture of the place.

  35. Sporky

    http://www.itswalky.com/comic/an-institute-for-higher-learning/

  36. OmegaDez

    I so agree with Joyce here. :3

  37. Bagge

    MONTAGE!!! Now dance through twirling leaves, hold hands with intertwined fingers by the fountain and smooch ice cream in each other’s faces… Oooops, wrong sort of montage.

    Come to think of it, in another universe Joyce would be a perfect manic* pixie dream girl for Becky. Here it would be more of a deconstruction.

    *) I almost wrote “maniac”. Freudian slip.

    1. Bagge

      Speaking of, I love how Robin started as a deconstruction of that trope over in Shortpacked.

  38. Stewart

    I dunno. I think “Unclench Your Sphincters” would work much better as a book title.

    1. Bill

      Wasn’t that also a line in “Blazing Saddles”?

  39. Cephalo the Pod

    We haven’t even decided a title for Book 4 yet, have we?

  40. Valmore

    This strip clearly was inspired by Calvin & Hobbes. Bravo.

  41. Halloween Jack

    Ask and ye shall receive; I asked for Becky. Excellent.

  42. John Cabot

    Oooh. Today’s strip is so pretty.

  43. Clif

    So say we all, Joyce. So say we all.

  44. Volkai

    Definitely a good book title right there.

  45. Halloween Jack

    GUYS

    GUYS

    YOU GUYS

    LOOK AT THIS THING

  46. Jason

    Hmm, the first time around I missed the implication that Joyce takes a night class. At least 7:30 pm.

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