The dog days of summer are coming to a close, and it is time for students to readjust to their school routines. The days of vacationing and sleeping in are over, and many students have mixed feelings about the upcoming semester.
Some are looking forward to classes starting, while others are not quite as anxious for a return to the books.
Kyle Eaton, senior criminal justice major, is looking forward to the semester and the social atmosphere on campus.
“I’m ready for the football season to start, not to mention actually seeing people on campus again,” he said. “It will be nice for the campus to feel active again because it’s been dead here all summer.”
However, there are some feeling a little nervous about the upcoming semester. Many students are taking large course loads in order to graduate, while others are beginning to take degree-specific courses.
Amber Blan, a senior majoring in pre-pharmacy, is nervous about some of the courses she is taking this fall.
“I’m ready for school to get started again, but I am not looking forward to bio-chemistry and physics,” she said. “I just know it won’t be fun, and they are going to take hours of studying to get through.”
It’s not just upperclassmen attending classes, however. There are more than 2,000 freshmen starting college at The University of Memphis. It’s an exciting time for many of them because leaving home and getting out can be a rewarding experience. However, being responsible for getting to class and getting enough rest while trying to have an social life is a daunting task.
Carl Chando, director of the Academic Counseling Center, counsels freshmen students on common mistakes.
“College is different than high school, and for many of these young people it’s a culture shock, having to be responsible to get to class and managing your time for study is a difficult adjustment for some,” he said.
Chando said that he encourages beginner students to take a lighter course load their first semester in order to adapt to college life. He also said it’s important that they realize not to overextend themselves with jobs, campus involvement and classes while not setting aside enough time for study and rest.
“That’s the biggest concern is time management,” Chando said. “Many of these freshmen are trying to do too many things outside of class, and before they know it their grades get out of hand. Scheduling enough time for studying and class is essential to success.”
Ricky O’Brien, freshman biophysics major, is looking forward to the challenge of college, but he realizes it’s not going to be all fun and games.
“I’m excited but a little scared about starting,” he said. “I know it’s going to be a lot of hard work and I’m not sure how it’s going to be with studying and classes, so I’m nervous about it.”
