I betcha it was because you actually showed up on a regular basis and demonstrated a willingness to learn–two things the theendisnear failed at. I’m a non-trad student, I almost always make it to class and I put my best effort into everything I do (mostly because I’m just danged curious about everything 
). I consistently have professors express to me how they wish they had 20 students like me, or that I remind them of the “way is used to be”. After semester after semester with students like the OP, I’m sure it’s a blast of fresh air to have someone give a shit and look for more than the entitlement degree.
One more thing. At another local university, the Student Government Association negotiated a policy whereby students could not be penalized due to absence, only for poor quality work. That happened sometime in the 80’s, but a few years ago the school withdrew the policy and now attendance is required and professors are allowed to put maximum absences on the syllabus, i.e. miss more than three classes without some proof of serious neccessity, you flunk. Period. I’ve heard of this same thing happening at other schools too. Maybe the OP’s school has a similar attendance policy and they just haven’t caught up with the trend.
At my school, it appears as though the college isn’t a joke, it’s just like high school - there are challenging classes and there are blow-off classes. If you choose the blow off classes then of course college will be all easy.
For example, my Intro to Philosophy teacher had teached at Harvard prior to teaching at my college, and I think this intimidated the students into thinking that the class was harder than it actually was. He was long-winded, true, but anyone that keeps a level-head could see that the class wasn’t mission impossible. A bunch of effort being put in would lead to at least a C.
Of course, I cruised to a B without too much effort, but that’s beside the point. I chose more difficult classes than most there, such as Psychology and American Government, yet still had an easy time of it, so it either means that I’m a hell of a lot smarter than I think I am or these classes are easier than once thought.
But college, for me is both fun and edumacational, but effortless at the same time.
I dunno. At my school, the hardest classes were at the introductory/freshmen level because they were “weed-outs”. We didn’t even have algebra at my school. Most students jumped right into calculus.
It could be a combination of your innate abilities and the innate easiness of the classes. Or it could be either of these things individually. College isn’t a joke, though. There’s nothing more pathetic than a college graduate who hasn’t been challenged. Especially when they get to graduate or professional school and reality drops on them like a stack of bricks.
If you are not challenged more next semester, you should consider transferring. You aren’t getting what you paid for.
That depends on where you are. At my old school Intro to Astronomy was terribly hard. Now I’m in Geology 201 and if it weren’t for the generous curves we are given on tests, most of us wouldn’t be passing.
I was told the first day of class by both the teachers from Astronomy and Geology that most people would not pass the class. I guess its cause most people get low grades and rather drop the class than get an F without realizing that the curve is so freaking big just sticking it out guarantees a passing grade.