Editorial: Students: Don’t stress about summer classes

Students may feel a rush to complete their studies in four years, but not every student is the same, and this pressure may do more harm than good to their body and life. While timely working habits are no doubt beneficial and four years is certainly an achievable deadline to complete an undergraduate degree, this pre-determined deadline can be a recipe for burnout and poor performance in the classroom.

First, every major is different. Some, like theatre or hard sciences, require specific courses and prerequisites and if one is missed, it can spell disaster for the originally intended graduation date.  Other majors, like international relations and language or culturally focused ones, have more flexibility in how many electives are allowed and when they can be taken.  So while a four-year deadline is easy enough for some full-time students, it can be an intense struggle for others, just based on fields of study alone and not including individual needs.

In order to stay on track, students should schedule a meeting with their advisor at least once every semester, but visiting advisors isn’t enough. Students should set their own personal graduation deadlines but must also remember that graduation is not a race.

Florida’s law requires nine credit hours to be taken during one or over the course of multiple summer semesters, and these don’t come with the standard financial aid perks, either.  However, once you complete the summer requirement, don’t be afraid of taking a summer off, if needed. Students should take time to rejuvenate their minds, spend time with family and pursue any other nonacademic interests they may have. And for those who don’t want to take the entire summer off, remember to make time to focus on your mental and physical health. No matter how long it takes, your graduation will be an accomplishment.

Photo taken from Flickr.