Summer means faster pace: Here’s how to handle it

By Lilly Kujawski
Editor

For some, the end of the winter semester means freedom and vacation; for others, it’s merely a short break before returning for the summer semester.

If you’re worried that you’ve just signed away the chance of any summer vacation by enrolling in the summer semester, never fear. According to Greg Weatherspoon, 20, an applied science major who took welding classes last summer, the time in the classroom flies by, still leaving you with time to enjoy the summer.

The most important thing you can do to keep up with a summer class may seem obvious—show up.

With many of the offered summer courses spanning a length of just 10 weeks, to miss one day of class is like missing a whole week, said William Teague, a WCC behavioral science instructor teaching classes this summer.

Clifford Taylor, a math instructor also teaching this summer, shared similar insights. He said because the semester is shorter, more information and material is packed into each class session.

“Be a lot more wary about missing class,” Taylor said. “It has a much, much bigger impact in the summer.”

Teague said if he were to give students three pieces of advice for the summer semester, they would be “come to class, come to class, come to class.”

It’s also important to be mindful of which classes and how many of them you take over the summer, according to Andrew Ross, 20, an HVAC student who has previously taken summer classes.

“You’ll be digesting more material faster, so I would recommend going with fewer classes or easier classes,” Ross said. “It is the summer; take your break.”

A lot of the work for summer classes is done outside of the classroom and students should keep that in mind, Ross added.

“Set certain amounts of time everyday to just do the homework,” he said. “There’s going to be more homework than fall and winter classes because of how accelerated it is.”

Weatherspoon said that the success students have in summer school is really dependent on the work they’re willing to put in. For students hoping to relax over the summer, taking classes isn’t the right move. For students who are determined to finish school as quickly as possible, summer classes may be a good choice.

“If you stay enrolled, you have a better chance of coming back in the fall,” Weatherspoon added.

During the summer semester, students can still access any academic support and resources they need.

While some teachers may not have mandatory office hours during the summer, if students have questions or concerns, they should still try to meet with their teacher to get help, Teague said.

Tutoring is still available during summer hours via the learning support services department.

The Bailey Library will remain open and librarians will still be available at the research help desk for students who need help. Another resource students can take advantage of are the many e-database research materials available for currently enrolled students, said Molly Ledermann, a librarian. These online sources can be accessed via the Bailey Library webpage.

The Writing Center will also be open during the summer from May 13 to August 8, and will offer its usual tutoring services and writing assistance.

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