The beginning of the
semester hits faster than you would think.
You go from getting a syllabus and introducing yourself to
classes filled with lectures and the expectation as you walk in to class that you have
read and UNDERSTOOD the reading.
The second week slides in like a slow-forming mist and suddenly you are
engulfed. You are a college student and
whether first year or seasoned veteran, you are expected to hit the ground
running. And, that isn’t easy.
Somewhere between Weeks Two and Four is
also when the dreaded Syllabus Shock hits. Yeah.
You looked at the syllabus during the first week when you sat in class,
but you didn’t really read it. A glance.
A looksy. A quick skim. But, read it.
Not so much. Then, Week Two, maybe Three. You realize that you not only have to read
that thing, but the syllabus (and you have one for each class!) is the guide,
the map, the structure for your next fifteen weeks. OMG.
The realization hits that you will actually have to complete these
readings, the assignments, the quizzes, the discussions and the list goes
on. It can be an overwhelming amount of
material to look at, to sort out, and to think about already. So, what happens to a lot of students during
this time?
THEY FREAK OUT! They think “I can’t do this. NO WAY!
Ain’t gonna happen.” They go to
their advisor and they drop. And, once a
student drops a course, it is like a seal breaking. It is just easier when you feel overwhelmed
to drop another one. Students who were
registered for 15 hours will drop to 9.
Students registered for 4 classes, drop to 2. They think that this is helping them. It is an immediate fix to the chaos that
surrounds you in that moment.
Except. It isn’t an easy
fix. More often than not, those classes
are required. You will have to take them
again. More importantly, you will have
to PAY for them again. Students who drop
often don’t get the full refund. Many
will end up paying for the same course twice. Drop three courses over the course of your undergraduate studies and you have added another semester to your timeline.
In the moment and the long term, this is not a great strategy because you pay for it in so many different ways: financially, academically, emotionally...
What do you do
instead? What do you do when you think
that you can’t possibly take all 4 classes, or all five classes? How
do you make it through a challenging time without backing off or full-out
running away? TALK to your instructor. Go see your Academic Advisor. Seek out someone in your school’s Student
Success Area. These people are here to
help you jump these hurdles. Remember,
some folks are born with special talents, but to be GREAT they have to work at
it. Not every track and field star
finished their first race without bulldozing through a hurdle or cracking a
shin. You might get some lumps, but what
you will learn is how to PERSEVERE!
Sometimes, when we are in the midst of the chaos, it is hard to see a
way out. That’s where talking to an
instructor, advisor or even a friend (who is good at organizing things!) comes
into play. Once they show you the path,
you will be able to find your way. That
fog will lift and you will see yourself through, successfully to the end of the
semester. You will save yourself money
in the short term and the long run. And,
most importantly you will have faced a challenge and won! And that is a truly wonderful feeling! (C) 2012 Jane E. Brooks
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