Professor Gandhi is one of my favorite professors in my time at UCLA. She's very kind while also truly listening to what everyone contributes to the discussion. The class was a 3 hour seminar, but I never felt like zoning out which still amazes me in the age of UC Zoom. She made the most of the discussion based format, switching between lectures and 3-5 person breakout rooms. The first breakout room was a fun icebreaker that got us talking. She then lectured and we talked as a class (about 10 people in my class). Halfway through class was a 15 minute break and then we did stretches together on Zoom it was wholesome :-) Second half of class we did an activity together and presented what we discussed. The final project was a big part of the grade, including small assignments earlier on that prepare you for it. I opted to write a short story but you can also do a paper.

The weekly readings are interesting and though they can be long, you can still get by if you miss some or don't read the whole thing. We also did a short response on them each week before class, and she would cite our answers in class to get a discussion going. That really helped me keep up with the readings.

I learned so much about indigeneity, colonialism & imperalism in the Pacific from the perspectives of Pacific Islander writers and scholars. Things I'd not really be exposed to otherwise, and frankly everyone should learn about. There was also a really cool bond in our group and we still keep in touch. Don't hesitate and take Professor Gandhi's class!