It is my opinion that 17 credits is too much for any student to handle at one time, let alone a student who is raising a family on the side and performing duties as copy editor of the Sentinel.
What in the hell was I thinking when I signed up for 17 credits this semester?! Graduation was the first thought that came to mind, followed by the little voice that told me it was time to get my core classes out of the way.
After all, everything I signed up for was all in a row on the schedule. I could methodically go from point A to point B (one class to the next, and so forth) then put the day behind me.
But I had overlooked many things, one being the parking situation. I had forgotten it could take up to an hour driving in circles and stalking people on the way to their cars, all in an effort to find decent parking anywhere in the vicinity of my classes.
Also, the mere ten-minute timeframe between classes is barely enough time to get across campus, and certainly not enough time to consume any food. Do you know how hard it is to concentrate on studies when your stomach is growling continuously?
I had also forgotten that more classes meant more books. I would now have to lug around half my body weight, a 50-lb. bag of study materials to get me through the day – not an easy task given the parking situation and the short lapse between classes.
After school, I have family obligations to tend to and homework in every single class. I have three children (two teenagers and a baby) as well as a significant other, a dog, two cats and a bird to take care of. Then, there’s meals to cook, house to keep and bills to pay.
Daily homework involves reading chapters at a time, taking notes from Powerpoint lectures, doing on-line training and assessments, writing essays and articles, editing copy, solving difficult math problems and studying for weekly quizzes and tests.
Then, I get up the next morning and repeat the routine all over again. It seems like a never ending cycle. And the fact that we had two snow days didn’t help matters either. The instructors were dead set on making up for lost time by piling on additional homework and cramming information down our throats for upcoming tests.
I have a huge stack of books sitting on my floor (recent purchases that I haven’t had time to read), new DVDs still in the wrapper, a half-worked jigsaw puzzle collecting dust (that I’ll probably never have time to finish) and a Banagrams page-a-day calendar on my desk that hasn’t made it past the middle of January.
I am so overwhelmed these days that I’m not even sure at this point how many more credits I need in order to graduate. I keep telling myself that, one of these days, I’ll sit down and figure it all out.
In the meantime, there is one thing I know for sure – never again will I attempt to take 17 credits all at one time.
Opinions expressed in editorial and opinion articles are the views of individual NIC students. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Sentinel, North Idaho College, or any other organizations or groups there-in. North Idaho College is not responsible for the accuracy of statements or opinions shared.
