When I signed up for courses at SOAR as an incoming first-year student I was baffled at how much time I had outside of class. It seemed like I would only be in class on average three to four hours a day, some days even less. What could I possibly do with all this time?
At first, this seemed so strange as I was used to long, full days of high school, followed by long nights of extracurriculars. Would I get bored? Would I have enough stuff to do? Would I ever be tired again?
The answer is yes. Sometimes you will maybe feel a little bored on a slow day. But you will also have a lot of stuff to do, academically, socially and so-on. And you will definitely be tired, even if you’re only in class 3 hours a day.
I believe the biggest component of being tired is that class looks a lot different than it did in high school. Sitting in a two-hour power lecture, jam-packed with information can be exhausting. There is a lot more needed attention and retention, that sometimes it may feel you crammed a whole seven-hour school day into an afternoon.
The most important part of this short, but sometimes taxing and tiring, the class schedule is that it does offer you enough time to work hard and still replenish. I became quite fond of a midday nap during my first semester while still putting in hours to study, and socialize as well.
You may look at your college schedule surprised at all the “empty space”, but you will quickly find this time is needed and easily filled!