Bursting at the seams

Summer has come to an end which means it is time for students to brace for the the class choices they made not too long ago. The USD experience calls for a typical class load to be either four or five classes per semester. However, while some students cruise along with a manageable class load of 12 to 15 units, others take on the intense challenge of 18 units.

Some students would look at an 18-unit schedule and cringe at the thought of juggling so many responsibilities. When it is met with so much aversion, a schedule like this seems unnecessary and even daunting.  Main areas of concern for students include time management, sleep schedules and the ability to keep an aspect of social life between commitments.

Tiffany Truong, a sophomore currently taking 18 units, comments on how she handles this.

“One of the biggest issues I find with taking so many classes is the lack of sleep,” Truong said. “It can be hard to balance the extra homework and studying with taking care of my basic needs, especially because professors are often not any more lenient than they would be if you were taking a  regular number of classes.”

According to Truong, a healthy and effective eating schedule has also been hard to solidify into her schedule.

“For the most part I just eat little snacks throughout the day if I don’t have very much time in between classes,” Truong said.

Time management becomes vital when bouncing between academics and extracurriculars. Tests, exams, and papers tend to overlap from class to class, while campus events and social gatherings weave their way into the mix.  Being able to organize and compartmentalize tasks become important skills when filling a schedule to its maximum.

Major selection and schedule preferences are other hurdles in deciding whether a student can manage an 18-unit load.  Some majors require more classes than others, and morning classes are expected at some point within a college career.

Emilie Schumacher, who is taking 18 units this semester, offered some advice on the topic.

“As a business major, it’s much easier for me to put together a schedule of classes that I need to satisfy my major’s requirements and still have time for a social life and a job,” Schumacher said. “It might be harder for a STEM major to get classes that fit together in a schedule that works for them.”

Though at times, coursework will need to take priority over social events, new friends and social settings can be discovered through the classes. Especially within the college years, it is quite frequent for students to find friendships of quality that stem through diverse experiences. More often than not, classes will be filled with a variety of people of different majors and interests, and the common thread of a shared class, and inevitable group work, creates blooming connections.

An 18-unit load can also potentially fast-track graduation time. Many classes within any given major can check off more than one requirement.

Mike Williams, Ph.D., is a professor within the political science department and also works as a student advisor. Williams elaborates on ways students may need to accomplish credits in order to graduate.

“USD’s curriculum is designed to have students graduate within four years if they take five classes a semester,” Williams said.  “Oftentimes students who take more classes at once see a decrease in the quality of their work in one or two classes. If you’re considering taking more than five classes in one semester, be sure not to give up quality in favor of quantity.”

It seems as though the balance between pushing your boundaries to challenge yourself and being able to accomplish work thoroughly and effectively is a hard feat.  Unfortunately, there never seem to be enough hours in the day, which means killing two birds with one stone is a skill many college students learn to master.

Truong speaks to making friends within classes, mixing social and academic lives.

“Making connections throughout your time at college will be really beneficial to you in the future, and it’s a lot easier when you actually reach out,” Truong said.

College is known to be a time where priorities become blurred and responsibilities are constantly in mind.  An 18-unit semester will potentially be stressful for students, but that by no means equals impossibility.  If chosen to conquer, a clear mind, determination and stellar time management remains essential.