STATLER HALL— Going through the syllabus on the first day of classes can be boring at best. To make things more interesting, some professors, like Professor Henry Frost, have incorporated comedy into their syllabi.
According to Sonja Perry ‘28, watching Professor Frost going through the syllabus in HIST 2480 “was literally like watching a Netflix comedy special.” Lines like “attendance is mandatory” and “I can always tell when students use AI” left attendees hysterical. When Professor Frost explained how he will “post all the lecture slides” and subsequently emphasized that attendance was “still crucial for success,” the 700-person lecture hall erupted with laughter.
“From his RateMyProfessor reviews he sounded super dull and boring, but when he went through the syllabus on the first day of class, I realized this guy is actually super funny,” commented Madelyn Hightower ‘29.
Frost’s twist on a typical syllabus has received lots of positive attention from students. Phillip Kessler ‘28 shared that they hope other professors will add similar “hilarious statements” to their syllabi to “make students feel like they’re getting their money’s worth here at Cornell.”
At press time, students were still aching from laughter, hoping Frost’s future lectures on Middle Eastern conflicts would be just as humorous.
