Maryville Pawprint Maryville Pawprint, Maryville University's Student Newspaper
“For next week please read chapters 1-11.” That is what my professor told me on the very first night of my first eight-week class at Maryville.
“Eleven chapters,” I thought. “How is this possible? Does my professor not know that I am taking 15 other hours? Does my professor not know that I have a life? Oh well, I guess I don’t anymore.”
For those of you who have experienced the short but longest 8 weeks of your life know that 11 chapters is not unusual. A matter of fact in most 8-week classes, it is somewhat common. I remember one week I had read at least 2,000 pages in 5 days.
- Courtesy of google images
Not only is the course load heavy, it is almost impossible to keep your attention span for a three-hour classes. After the first hour and a half, it always seems no matter how interesting the class is, the professor is speaking a different language because I cannot process the information. It is too much material in too little of a time. A matter of fact, if it were up to me I think 8 week classes should be banned period.
My first semester at Maryville I ended up in three 8 week classes. In my first semester at Maryville I think if stress could of killed me, it would have. So here, I am giving you 8 reasons why you should NEVER take 8-week classes.
#8 Who really wants to read 11 chapters in a week?
#7 Who actually reads 11 chapters in 1 week and remembers the information?
#6 Because you have a life…
#5 Because if you wanted your teacher to speak a foreign language, you would have taken French.
#4 Because Starbucks is expensive and you don’t have $3.75 to spend on a caramel macchiato twice a day.
#3 You actually need time to do your other homework, too.
#2 Without sleep, no one wants to be around you
#1 And finally, because three hours a night is way too long to learn one subject.
Mischelle, I will take your “Way to Go” comment because yes, if you read my story you will see that the point is to give advice in a humorous manner. However, I don’t know how long you have been going to Maryville if you know enough about 8 week classes or not but there are a lot of professors who have even said themselves that there are certain classes that they will not teach again as an 8 week class. The reason for this is because there is too much material to cram in those 8 weeks and it isn’t fair to the students or the professors. Also, I did NOT write this from a parent’s perspective, I wrote it as a student so therefore it was from a student’s perspective. I was old enough to know even when I wrote it though that, “life doesn’t run on my schedule” however I am also old enough to know that I am entitled to my own opinion and this was it. I’m sorry that you didn’t like it.
Mischelle- I think the unfortunate thing about 8 week classes is that at a small (and expensive) school like Maryville sometimes taking a class in 8 weeks is the only option given to a student. Not all students can efficiently process that much information in such a short amount of time, especially when you’re paying that much for school. They’re a nice option for some students but definitely shouldn’t be pushed upon all. I think Melissa was trying to show her frustrations as a student about 8 week classes in a humorous way and did a great job doing it.
Melissa, I hope that the intent of your article is to give advice but in a humorous/sarcastic sort of way. If so, then by all means, WAY TO GO. If on the other hand, your article is serious in nature then here is my comment to your opinion article. Yes, 8 weeks is a very short period of time and yes, the workload (obviously) is going to be more than a normal semesters worth. But some people, such as myself who are trying to complete our degree, have a life (see #6), work a full-time job, AND go to school full-time, need classes like this. We don’t have the luxury of a flexible work schedule and therefore, must also find time to squeeze in 8 week classes. If you think you have it “hard”, try juggling a 40+ hr/wk job, duties as a parent, duties as a spouse, and responsibilities to an elder parent, and THEN add in the time it takes to study and prepare for classes. At first I never thought I would be able to do it all, but I am. And doing it quite successfully, I might add. I make my own coffee at home and take it to class, (sometimes I take what’s left at the office)(see #4), no, I’m not a straight A student and yes, I even go to ‘Happy Hour’ on occasion, but I get my homework done and I enjoy life. Also, after all is said and done I still manage to be the person that people want to be around (see #2).
So, if you are not comfortable taking 8 weeks classes now that you know what will be required, then I hope you don’t have to take any more of them. But if you think that your education should be “on your schedule”, just wait until after graduation. You’re in for another eye-opener.