Dwyer’s room exudes comfortable vibes

From various memorabilia to a bookshelf filled with assorted books, social studies teacher Todd Dwyer’s room is probably the most eclectic room on campus.

Students walking by this classroom may notice the neon signs from different universities like UCLA and the University of Washington glaring from the window and illuminating a path toward the door. Some rooms bring a sort of stress and worry with them, but Dwyer’s always makes me feel carefree and calm. 

Once inside the classroom, my eyes always dart toward the cell phone pouch to my left, notoriously empty. The pouch is intended to hold students’ phones, so they are not a distraction during the class. However, only a few students surrender their phones to the red pouch near the doorway.

On the right wall, an overflowing bookshelf is decorated with a train set and various Coca-Cola bottles, collected throughout the last century. These bottles and books also litter the front desk behind which Dwyer leads his lectures. Above his head, resting on top of the projector, are various action figures and random products, including a classic robot toy and Spam cans.

Furthermore, various college memorabilia including stickers and flags line the walls of Dwyer’s room. From UC Davis banners to Stanford flags, Dwyer has an impressive collection of college-themed items.

The room is never void of noise. As the door opens, music blasts from the two TVs and a colorful music video shines through the dimly lit room. Before class, Dwyer enjoys displaying nostalgic-inducing videos from the ‘90s and early 2000s.

When class begins, the room is warm. A subtle heater hum gives way to Dwyer’s booming voice. He promptly asks us to recite the Seven Economic and Social Goals, the definition of GDP and the fundamental problem of economics. We collectively give the same answers that have been seared into our brains.

Economics is not like other classes where we do homework at home and worksheets in class; it is completely interactive, with the teacher verbally testing students during the period. Dwyer learned his techniques from his time in the military and by observing college lectures at schools like UC Berkeley, and his influences are evident through his commanding voice and repetitious exercises.

But even his military teaching technique is not intimidating or stressful; it is a nice change of pace from other classes. Instead of passing through information quickly, Dwyer drills it through repetition, and while sometimes the process is tedious, it is certainly effective.

After a short lecture littered with personal anecdotes, Dwyer usually puts on a video and turns out the lights. During this time, the room is now the perfect temperature, and I oftentimes lean backwards in my seat.

Overall, the room is comfortable and quiet, a good place to just sit back and relax and occasionally rest one’s eyes.