Uni just held its annual Agora Week, where students get to choose from a broad range of classes to learn about topics of their choice. The event took place from February 14th to 17th, during which time students took a break from their regular curriculum to attend approximately 100 unique courses. The week-long event also included seven class periods and a newly added lunch period.

The week was generally enjoyable for most students. Seyed-Ahmad Dastgheib, a current senior who participated in several martial arts classes, said the week “was a blast.” Overall, the tension in the school surrounding normal classes was greatly reduced due to there being much less stress surrounding homework and classwork.

Agora Week is a beloved Uni tradition, but it is not without its hiccups. While students get the opportunity to learn about miscellaneous topics in great detail, mishaps are bound to happen. For instance, a few of the students expressed concern about the disorganization of some classes, such as the jujitsu class at Kenney Gym, where the student instructor struggled to convey ideas effectively.

Another incident occurred during a class called “BOBATASTIC!”, where students learned about the history of boba, its culture, and how to make it. Unfortunately, the tapioca pearls used on the last day of class were leftovers from previous days and mixed with caramel, resulting in a hard and grainy texture, according to Yusef Aboukhatwa. The boba’s condition even made the sophomore feel sick. “I was like unwell, you know, so I ran to the bathroom-the Siebel bathroom…I felt like what I had to do was unsuitable for the Uni environment,” they said. Despite warnings from instructors Tracy Li and Sarah Guo, Aboukhatwa’s dedication to the drink overpowered any fear of harmful side effects.

In another mishap, a student accidentally broke a window in Kenney Gym during a soccer Agora class, causing scattered glass both inside and outside the building. The incident was observed by Uni Girls Soccer Coaches Carlos Rodriguez and Cora Messick, who later found the broken glass still there when they returned to host a soccer open gym.

Despite this, Agora Week remains a Uni tradition cherished by all students, providing them with a unique experience to explore diverse topics of their choice. Though some classes faced mishaps and disorganization, the week remains a beloved tradition at Uni.