One question that has often been asked to college students is actually a very simple one: which semester is harder? There are certainly compelling reasons for both, and it is often a different case for each student. This will depend on their schedules for a given semester, such as if they are involved in sports, musicals, or even Salt and Senate. People are tied to the schedules they create, and sometimes, that means that students have a very busy and often very hard semester.
When I asked senior SNU student, Allie Ward, about this very subject, she expressed that “balancing school, work, music events, and a social life can be a lot.” However, for her, this applies to both semesters equally, rather than one or the other. Even when class schedules are not as packed, there are events that may cause students to have more responsibilities they must undertake as they begin their transition into adulthood. It is never just the homework load that causes stress for SNU students.
It is not just students who are affected by this issue but the faculty as well. When talking to Gina Weaver, Ph.D., Honors Director and Associate Professor of English, she reported that the spring semester tended to be harder for her, saying that her “energy wears down sooner.” There are also numerous end-of-the-year activities that ask even more of faculty and staff.
In general, the school year can be an arduous process for anyone involved, and our professors deserve the utmost credit and respect for helping all of us with any possible academic hardships throughout the year. They do this with grace all while they are faced with their own challenges that we may never know about.
In essence, there really is no right answer to whether or not the fall or spring semesters are harder. It all depends on the individual schedules of each student, as well as what they are involved in over the course of the year. There are, however, some general tips that can help any student not stress themselves out as much over the course of the school year.
Weaver suggested the idea of deliberately planning a lighter schedule to coincide with whatever sport a student may be in that semester, while Ward raised the idea of keeping a written or printed schedule with you at all times, and even building a rest day into your schedule so that students, and even teachers, do not burn themselves out in the midst of a busy semester.
No matter which semester may be harder, it is always important to manage time well, and maintain a strong work ethic amidst a tough schedule, creating good habits that will undoubtedly set one up for success in the post-college world.
Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash