How does the “get out of jail free” card work for first year comps?

From the graduate program handbook: A student can be exempt from one comprehensive exam if the student receives at least a B in all three of the first-year core courses in that sequence, AND achieves a minimum GPA of 3.3 in that field. If a student meets this requirement in more than one sequence, they still have the option to take all three exams. They can choose which exam grades they would like to use to satisfy the requirement after they receive the exam results.

What courses do I need to enroll in for TA’ing?

During [at least] the first year of teaching you will have to enroll in Econ375 and Econ495 every quarter. You should sign up for 2-4 credits. Do not worry about schedule clashes, it is a formality to have some time-slot for each class