Staying ahead with summer courses

I get it… it’s summer. Everyone knows that you aren’t supposed to do anything over the summer except for possibly work. But most importantly relax poolside with a nice fruit punch next to you.

I do know how great that sounds, and how tempting it can be to live that lifestyle all summer long. But hey, why not take a 3-8 week summer course, and finish up some courses that you just might not be able to fit into your busy semester schedules that you’ll need for graduation? That isn’t a terrible idea.

I say it isn’t a bad idea, because I have done it every single summer I have been at UW- Eau Claire. It is a quick way to get great grades, and be done with a course that would take up to 15 weeks in a regular semester. I do highly promote taking summer courses, but you must be warned about a few things before you indulge.

One being that you must know how to manage your time wisely. It can be very difficult to keep up with the traffic at work, the text messages from friends wanting to hangout, and just the idea of alone time and kicking back and taking it easy. Prioritizing is key to summer courses. It is never easy to say no to anybody, or take time off work and making money to dive into a textbook. But in the end, it is rewarding to know that you not only passed the class, but you successfully kept a job, your friendships in tact, and your mind fresh throughout the summer.

Two being you have to know going into summer courses that they are going to be vigorous. These courses are meant to cover a semesters worth of material in 3-8 week time periods. And if you ask me, that is not nearly enough time to cover some of the things you go through. But you do it; you prioritize and manage your time, and understand that you could be sitting here in the summer listening to a 3-hour lecture 4 times a week for 8 weeks, or a 2-hour lecture 3 times a week for a semester. It is a pretty easy call for me.

Lastly, you need to seek help if it is still available on or off campus if you begin to struggle with a course. You never want to fall behind. You also need to realize that this is your only class, or couple classes that you need to focus on. It isn’t like taking 12-18 credits; it is more like taking 3-7 credits, and enjoying them, and cracking down on the class because you know it will be over before you can say anything. But my soul reason for enjoying summer courses so much is because the class sizes are a little smaller, and I can get some face time with the professor. And I can focus in on one or two subjects, and really learn about them, instead of taking them over a semester and just going through the motions.

Take summer seriously, focus on your courses, and succeed big time. Put yourself ahead of the game, and never look back. After your 3-8 week course(s) is done, then kick back, relax, and know you did it.

If you have any great experiences with summer courses in college, let us know, we would love to hear from you and share!