2008 Woodie Awards
Summer School Blues
How to stay focused while attending summer school
By Whitney Nichole Stevens
Issue date: 6/18/07 Section: Campus News
Finally! It's summertime. The season we have all been waiting for. For some students, tis' the season to travel with friends, intern, or simply spend your free time resting and relaxing, because everybody knows once September rolls around you will be back to the books. For others there is no break, their attitude is "Look, I'm trying to graduate, so I get out of here and enter the REAL world" or they might be trying to catch up on missed credits. This is all understandable, however going to summer school can be hard for some because the summer is supposed to be the time where students get a chance to breathe. Attending summer school might not allow students that option.
If you are a student and are currently enrolled in classes or have entertained the option of going through a summer session, you might be wondering, "How will I survive? My freedom just went right out the window." If these thoughts have crossed your minds, you need not worry because there are ways to stay focused on your studies and still enjoy your summer.
First things first, we must ALL learn and practice the art of time management. We are all familiar with the crazy college life, which includes carrying full course loads, papers, exams that are out of this world, and struggling to maintain an active social life by affiliating with a variety of campus clubs and organizations. Therefore, time management is the most important thing in balancing social activities and academia. Without running the risk of overexerting oneself, the best way to go about managing your time properly is by first laying out your entire schedule. Gather your school, work, social, and any other responsibilities that you might have. You should then list your priorities, starting with the most important and when that particular thing needs to be taken care of, take action. The last and final step of managing your time would be to make sure that you stick to your schedule you have set for yourself.
Once you have the time management game down, you have completed the single most important thing in balancing a healthy academic career and social life. Now, you should be able to have just as much fun as your friends who are not taking summer classes. When you think about it, you now have the upper hand because you have the best of both worlds. While many are spending an extra year finishing up their degree, you will have the advantage of finishing school early and doing other things with your life - all because you sacrificed a small portion of your time for the benefit of your education. So stand your ground, finish out the summer session, and enjoy the rest of your summer. At the end of the day, you will see it will all be worth it.
If you are a student and are currently enrolled in classes or have entertained the option of going through a summer session, you might be wondering, "How will I survive? My freedom just went right out the window." If these thoughts have crossed your minds, you need not worry because there are ways to stay focused on your studies and still enjoy your summer.
First things first, we must ALL learn and practice the art of time management. We are all familiar with the crazy college life, which includes carrying full course loads, papers, exams that are out of this world, and struggling to maintain an active social life by affiliating with a variety of campus clubs and organizations. Therefore, time management is the most important thing in balancing social activities and academia. Without running the risk of overexerting oneself, the best way to go about managing your time properly is by first laying out your entire schedule. Gather your school, work, social, and any other responsibilities that you might have. You should then list your priorities, starting with the most important and when that particular thing needs to be taken care of, take action. The last and final step of managing your time would be to make sure that you stick to your schedule you have set for yourself.
Once you have the time management game down, you have completed the single most important thing in balancing a healthy academic career and social life. Now, you should be able to have just as much fun as your friends who are not taking summer classes. When you think about it, you now have the upper hand because you have the best of both worlds. While many are spending an extra year finishing up their degree, you will have the advantage of finishing school early and doing other things with your life - all because you sacrificed a small portion of your time for the benefit of your education. So stand your ground, finish out the summer session, and enjoy the rest of your summer. At the end of the day, you will see it will all be worth it.