If you want to do well in Urdank's class you have to become passionate about European history, at least until the quarter is over. Urdank is kind of like a happy sea turtle. If you bother him, he will contract back into his shell. Who knows what he does inside of his shell... probably research I'd assume. But if you wax his shell with knowledge, he will poke his head out and begin to enlighten you. He is from the east coast, so don't diss New York or you'll end up with an automatic B. There is just no helping that. It's part of his grading formula.

But anyways, take Urdank because he is a great storyteller. When he lectures you will find that the walls of the room will disappear, your classmates will all be wearing 18th century garb, and you will be walking past the Bastille on a sunny day in July of 1789. There is no better history teacher than the one who makes you feel like you have travelled back in time. He is one of them.

Also, Urdank has strong convictions on ethics. I believe he is conservative-minded, but not necessarily in the reactionary right-wing, tea party sense. It's wonderful when he goes off on tangents about current events. If you take him, you should try to rattle his cage a little bit and get him off track. You will find that Urdank knows a hell of a lot more about the world than just history. I was in awe when he spoke on economics one morning.

Surprisingly too, he's actually a lenient grader. I was not expecting this from a guy who reviews PHD dissertations! Man o man. When I submitted my midterm I was like, 'damn I probably got a C on this one'. But then when he gave it back I got an A! and he told me, 'your paper made me laugh'. That was pretty cool. I think the whole class sort of fell off near the end, but I mean, who cares. It was fun. I'd do it again.