College Hacks – Work Prep

Students yearn for the freedom that comes with attending an institute of higher education, but wonder if they need to take classes everyday in college. As someone who has been through college, I can give you a snapshot of what your typical day on campus will be like. Many students take classes every day, but in college, you have more control over your schedule and can often choose to take classes only on certain days of the week. Some classes, however, are only offered on certain weekdays, so depending on which classes you need to take each semester, you may have at least some classes each day. The transition from high school to college can be difficult if you aren't prepared. However, those who have a better idea of what college is like before they set foot and campus, usually adjust faster than those with no idea at all. Classes in College The average day of a high school student is strictly regimented and almost identical from student to student. Most students typically have lunch at around the same time. They attend classes all at the same time, and everyone leaves at the same time. While the subject manner of the classes taken may change a little here and there (World history instead of European history), most students generally learn about the same things. Classes are safe, structured, and, frankly, a little boring. College classes, on the other hand, provide greater freedom in both the content and scheduling of the classes that you take. The average day of Economics major, will not at all be the same as that of an English major. Each discipline has its pros and its cons. While there are easier classes in college, I wouldn't say that anything is particularly "easy", but you are able to take classes better geared towards your abilities and interests. What is the best way to structure your days at college? and how can you know which classes you are best for you to take? Should I schedule classes for myself every day? While there are no one-size-fits-all questions, here are some ideas that may help you set up your perfect college class schedule. The Pros of Taking Classes Everyday The liberty to choose to go to class only once a week is tantalizing, but probably not the smartest option. While it is not required that you go to class every day during your college career it isn't a bad idea to do so and here is why. Going to class everyday build character. While that may seem like a golden piece of advice that your pithy coal mining dad would give you, it actually has a lot of meritt. There is something to be said about the discipline it takes to get up and go to class every day. When you get a real job you will more than likely have to drag yourself out of bed every day to get there. Might as well get some practice in now.A stable routine is comforting. If variety is the spice of life, then routine is the eggs and flour. It is kind of nice settling into a groove and having a predictable schedule. Knowing when to study and what time assignments are due is a huge part of being successful in college. Class every day will help you get a solid schedule down pat.More work during the week means less week on the weekends. I don't believe in working for the weekend, but boy oh boy is it nice when Saturday rolls around and you have nothing to do, but eat a bowl of cereal and watch cartoons. Going to class every day can help you clear up time for chilling on the weekend. These are just a few things that maybe you haven't considered before. Of course class every day isn't all ice cream and unicorns, it has its downsides as well. It can be boring doing the same thing every day and it leaves less time for being with friends, but those are risks that you will have to weigh before signing up for classes. What Freshmen Wish They Had Known Before Signing Up for Classes Do you typically spend your nights Snapchatting your crush (but not telling her/him how you really feel because you need to wait for the perfect moment) till 3 AM? or are you one of those divinely blessed early to bed, early to rise types of people that I have read about, but never really seen? Do you enjoy taking care of your work in one fell swoop? Or would you prefer to take a couple of breaks in between classes? These are all things that you need to consider before you sign up for classes. In fact, there are a lot of things you should ponder long and hard about before you sign up, gung-ho, for whichever class times strike your fancy. Do you have a job? Is it easy to get time off for that job or easily change your schedule?Are you involved in any extracurriculars or clubs that may interfere with your classes?Do you have a tendency to sleep in? If so, this particular proclivity for sub-par punctuality may prevent the proper apprehension of precious points. In other words, if you skip class, you might fail. How often do you spend time with friends? Trust me, it may seem easy to spend time alone now, but the temptation to shirk your work is always only a text message away.When do you study best? At night or early in the morning? Do you like to leave time before and after class to review? How much school, is too much school? Can you go 10 hours a day and still have time to cure cancer, or are you overwhelmed by one hour of class and breathing? After considering these penetrating questions, feel free to experiment with your schedule. I recommend that you keep your credit load low your first-semester attending university. Around 12 credits (that is usually the minimum amount of required credits needed to be considered a full-time student thus qualifying for financial aid and other benefits) should suffice. Studying in college isn't terribly different from studying in college, but it can be a difficult change if you weren't very studious in your previous schooling. I always prefer to be underwhelmed by my workload rather than overwhelmed. Remember that each credit hour constitutes about 2 hours outside of class studying. That is, if I have a 3 credit English course, I should be spending about 6 hours a week reading the assigned materials and learning about Aristotelian rhetoric if I want to pass. Knowing yourself and how much work you can handle is key to setting up the perfect college schedule. The Importance of Attending Classes Every Day I though high school was pretty easy. Senior year there were some classes I only bothered to show up to once or twice and I still managed to pass with flying colors. I was hoping college would be mostly the same. Unfortunately, the greater freedom gained by attending university is also accompanied by a wholesome dose of ugly responsibility. Gross. In high school, If I skipped a class, my dear mother would receive a friendly call from my school informing her of my delinquent truancy. Then my head would roll. But college has no such fail safes. I could skip classes all the live long day and nobody will give a flying *insert favorite profanity here* where I have been. What freedom! But this freedom is a double edged sword. As it turns out, college isn't free, and teachers have no qualms about failing you if you fail to show up. There goes a cool $500 down the drain for being too lazy to show up. Now, this may not be a problem if you (or more likely your parents) are made of solid gold, but that is a steep price to pay for most folks. Weight the consequences carefully and be smarter than your average freshman. The extra hour sleeping in isn't worth it. Please save yourself the trouble and just go to class. Related Questions How many classes should I take each day in college? That all depends on how much work you can handle each day. Most students take two to three classes on any given weekday, but some take as much as seven or eight. How much work are you able to handle? Don't overwhelm yourself with work when you first begin. Start off slow and you can always add more classes if you find your courseload too easy. Do you have classes on weekends in college? Most universities hold the majority of their classes Monday through Friday and only offer a handful of classes on the weekends. Online classes, however, are offered to some extent by most universities and can be completed according to the leisure of the student.