SLAV 2360

Ok this class deserves a more recent review. This class currently consists of homework reading and questions after every lecture (and yes you have to do them and no they aren't released before class its annoying) and then 2 "analyses". we haven't had the final one yet but the first one was super easy. Whoever said this class should be called history of vampires is correct, starts off with like slavic folklore and all that jazz and only gets into like pop culture vampire in late october, november. Is it easy? Yea, 98% of people in the room are doing other stuff on their laptops including cross word puzzles. Is it interesting? I don't think it's as interesting as the hype says. Like he's kind of a weird dude so that's interesting but sometimes I'm genuinely like what...is happening. One class we went from Count Chocula cereal to lesbian vampire p*rn to the count from sesame street

This class is great! The lectures are weird and interesting, and Professor Stepanic is super funny and a knowledgable person. The only downside is that attendance is mandatory (counted through Top Hat), and there are readings that come with homework questions for credit each week. The class is worth going to though and the homework is not difficult, just feels like a little bit of busy work.

Easiest class I've taken at UVA and second best, it deserves the hype. Stepanic is chaotic/hilarious, good at responding to emails, lenient with grades and other stuff, and also emphasizes the importance of mental health. There are in-class question you answer through TopHat (he usually tells you the answers), homework questions in the online textbook (v easy questions, just takes like 30-60 mins per chapter), and two analyses, which are basically a list of questions that you answer about a piece of vampire media. Lectures were entertaining (I was never bored) and we learned a lot of cool stuff about the origins of vampires in Slavic folklore and how they turned into what we see on TV today. Take this class!!! #tCFfall22

This class was fun! A little overhyped but wasn't bad at all. Didn't have that much work other than a couple of assignments from TopHat each week and two analyses, which we went over the answers during class. The only negative thing I'd say is that the content was pretty boring up until the last few weeks of the semester. Professor Stepanic was a pretty entertaining lecturer though, so that made it a little bit more interesting. We mainly focused on history for most of the semester, but the class itself was not difficult by any means. I also hated using TopHat. I had so many issues with it throughout lectures and would frequently miss at least one question in almost every class due to connectivity issues or the software itself. That could just be a me problem, but it was really frustrating and bothersome. Other than that, it's a great elective to take. #tCFF23

As someone in the E-School, this class was a really nice break from my more technical classes. When Prof Stepanic teaches, it's almost like listening to an interesting podcast, which makes the time fly a lot faster. The class is structured in a way where if you put in effort, you should get an A. I learned a lot of little things here and there that I hadn't known before and found all the content interesting for the most part, except for the more early history centered content. Prof Stepanic is strict when it comes to using tech during his lectures if you're not taking notes, as he mentions dropping your grade by a letter if you're caught, but I think since the class is so straightforward, easy, and interesting, it's not too much to ask to pay attention for the time being in class. #tCFS24

Professor Stepanic is very funny and entertaining, and there were many interesting moments in his class. The first part of the course was more interesting because he'd talk about Salvic folklore and Decadence and such, but the second part was often quite boring, since the lecture would just be about a bunch of different random video games or movies. It was certainly a nice break to be able to go to Dracula, but I wish there had been more flavor towards the end of the year. Also, the in-class questions and textbook questions were uninteresting and not engaging, for the most part.

As some people have already said, this class was honestly really overhyped and I wouldn’t really recommend it. There were a few interesting lectures but overall the content is pretty boring unless ur somehow REALLY interested in how vampires became popularized in media. Homeworks aren’t hard but u can’t miss a single one otherwise you won’t get a good grade in the class. They are pretty repetitive from lecture content too so it felt like more like annoying busywork than anything. The analysis papers we did were also pointless ngl as he requires u to only use scholarly references and connecting those to a plotless game (we analyzed Vampire Survivors this semester which is a pretty recent game too) requires pretty far fetched conclusions to be drawn. Professor Stepanic can be entertaining during class but I don’t think he cares or tries to be understanding or helpful towards his students and is pretty inflexible. I’m pretty sure he just does whatever is easiest for him. Overall, I’ve taken easier, more fun classes and have had way better professors. If you don’t need this class for a requirement, I would just save the time and effort and skip it.

Prof Stepanic is honestly super weird and one of the least academic professors at UVA. The class itself is really easy and you can basically zone out during class. He requires you to answer questions occasionally through TopHat so pay enough attention to be able to do those during class. The weekly readings are a reiteration of everything he says in class and are more tedious than anything else. It's a mix of watching Youtube clips, matching things up, and searching through texts to fill in the blank. Take it for the easy A. #tCFS25

What else is there to say - this class was an absolute blast. During J-term, you would attend lectures, complete online modules, and participate in a LARP (live action role playing) game at the end that you could get extra credit for if you dressed up. This class also included a trip to a comic book store to explore vampires in media, where the Professor ended up paying for our lunch. Professor Stepanic is wild from start to finish - fully engaging and captivating in his lectures and personal stories, and very effective in teaching the history and folklore behind the topic at hand. I think this class is a must-take if you're a student at UVA.