School...

[muses_nightmare]

Well I don't hate school, but I'm annoyed at the moment. I've been going nonstop at school since last year, we end up working a pretty fast and condensed schedule because our classes are only 11 weeks long. I think I'm starting to burn out though, Last quarter was hell, towards the end I had 7 projects going at once, 3 of which were for one class, those were all due around the same time. I managed to get through with decent grades, but I feel like my work isn't the best it could be because I'm under such time constraints.

Now this quarter, even after a 2 week break, I'm still run down. My brain is on vacation mode and it's the second week of classes! The ideas just don't want to come out, and it's annoying me.

At least for my hardest class I have a good concept, but it's due next week, we only had 2 weeks to design and mock up a set of 3 drinks (I'm doing Vodka, if anyone is curious), and they want the best out of us. My instructor is a royal ass. He didn't give us certain instructions, then docked marks for apparently not being able to read his mind and know what format he wanted it in. If you want us to print something TELL US, put it in the damn assignment sheet! Want a certain format? Put it in the assignment sheet, or frickin' tell us! Someone brought this up to him and he said we should have known what he wanted, or we should have asked. For one thing, it wasn't even on the assignment sheet so we wouldn't have known to ask, and the other thing, someone did ask and he just kept talking and never gave an answer. So yeah. Nothing is done about this instructor either. And I know complaints have been made. The Last thing the school did about it was make him reduce the course load of one of the classes last quarter.

My schedule is just terrible too, I have 2 days off a week, which wouldn't be bad if they were together they're not. I have Sundays and Wednesdays. I couldn't even move some classes around to make a better schedule, because most of them were either full, or it was the only session of that class. or else it was on the same day just at a worse time. So already I feel my weeks melding together. and I all I can think is "damn this is going to suck."

Sorry if this is rambly, I'm a bit overtired at the moment. Trying to think up concept statements for tomorrow's class. :(

[Rageaholic]

Believe me, I completely understand. I am only going part time, but it's just... ugh!!! I'm taking two courses I hate just because of the frickin GE (which I've ranted about quite a bit). For me, it's not so much overwhelming as it is boring and unfulfillling. I've ranted about group presentations, but I have had it with just about all of it. The textbooks, lectures, studying (aka, memorizing), and those long ass essay questions where you have to be as detailed as possible. THOSE ARE NOT FUN!!

I've being doing this long enough and just want to move on, learning things that will be useful to me, not crap I have to learn because the institution says so. Luckly, I just have a couple more weeks...

[muses_nightmare]

I will honestly say that I miss having to study for tests, and writing papers. Those were easy compared to what I'm doing now. (not saying yours are easy, just comparing my experience from two different post-secondaries). Seriously, I would gladly sit down and write a 15 page research paper rather than mock up packaging. Well at least with the way some of the instructors teach. Mocking stuff up is expensive and a pain in the ass. Seriously, every quarter I spend at the very least $60 on printing alone. Then there's all the double sided tape I use, that crap is expensive! And none of this is provided, even though I'm paying out the ass to go to this school (and really, most of the graphic design programs of the same length are pretty well the same price, so there weren't many options there.), I mean you'd think paying close to $6000 every 3 months would cover some sort of supplies, but nope. It apparently doesn't even give us instructors who like to teach! (well some anyway, 3 of my 5 instructors are awesome, the other two, well, shouldn't be teaching)

What bothers me the most is the mentality that we should be able to do 4 weeks worth of homework in half that time. And without specific instruction sometimes. RRRGGG. (I'm avoiding homework as we speak, since I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing on it). :( It's like my instructors don't think of the fact that most of us have 4 other classes to deal with. Sure a week sounds like a long time, but not when you have 4 other projects to do. I'm usually lucky to end up with even a day to finish something. I'm constantly trying to keep up, and it seems like everyone is doing the same. I'm really hoping my portfolio comes out alright, I mean I am going to have to shell out $80 - $100 to have it printed and bound when I'm done, I want to have the time to make it excellent.

[MaggieTheCat]

It's like my instructors don't think of the fact that most of us have 4 other classes to deal with.

Of course they don't. Theirs is the only class that matters, so who cares what those other instructors might assign to you? (/sarcasm) That was one thing I disliked about college, too.

I burned out of school pretty easily. I did manage to get a 2 year associate's degree, for all that that matters, and I always said, "I'll go back someday when I know what I want to do." I don't want to go back! I'm working from home right now, which is awesome and I love it, but even working at the entry level call center job making $8.50/hour, I was a lot happier than going to school. I guess there's still the possibility that I'll go back again someday, but everytime I think about it, I remember how miserable I was in school and just can't imagine doing it again.

[muses_nightmare]

Yeah, our instructors go on about time management like crazy, one of them actually said you should give up your social life for the 11 weeks of classes as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I may not go out and party and such but I'd still like to be able to have a little bit of free time, it's what keeps me mildly sane. I get the impression that he doesn't have many friends.

I willl be done school in about 6 months hopefully, and I'll have a diploma in Graphic design and a portfolio. So I'm just trying to get through things until then. I think at the end of it all I'm just going to fall into a big heap and sleep for a few days. :p

[Red Panda]

School is crazy, and it doesn't help that theres always people aroudn who never seem to do any work being loud and distracting you by making you go to partys. :)

[MaggieTheCat]

I think it's important to maintain some kind of social life or free time, even if you have a heavy workload. Like you said, it helps keep you sane. Any teacher who wants you to give up your social life is an ass, I think. I had a teacher like that in H.S. Band teacher, actually (the one from hell who later ended up getting arrested for sexually assaulting students, for those who're familiar with the story.) When it got to be within a couple weeks of concerts or other big events for the band, he said we should do nothing but go to school, practice, and sleep. He didn't want to see us out in the community doing anything non-band related...like working or going to a movie.

My husband's last (or maybe second-to-last, I don't remember) semester of college was pretty intense too. There was one class he was taking where he basically studied for that class alone for 30-40 hours a week. Then he had all his other classes on top of it. I think the only socializing he did that semester was going to the anime club once a week, but otherwise he went to class, studied, and slept, and that was about it. He made it through okay, but he was pretty worn down by the end of it.

[Rageaholic]

Oh god, I remember going full time and how it consumed my life. Ironically, I usually do better when I'm there full time as opposed to part time, but I still feel like there's things I can't do because some stupid homework assignment or test is coming up. I know that feeling of just not being in the right frame of mind all to well.

And that one instructor sounds like a major league asshole. I haven't had anyone THAT bad yet, but I know that some instructors forget that people have a life outside of their class.

[McDreidel09]

I know what you mean. I'm so glad that summer is in three weeks. I LOVE school.I really do, but I am so burnt out (which will change roughly in the middle of the summer when I will be burnt out with work). I have one day a week where I don't do any schoolwork and that is Saturday, but still six days out of seven can quickly make someone want it all to stop.

BTW, I am never taking a math course three days a week ever again! EVER! I am going to try so hard to have it only on TTHU and not MWF. That was the worst decision I ever made, academically.

Speaking of math. I need to get back to those assignments.

[muses_nightmare]

Yeah I have 9 more weeks of school, we don't really have a "summer" break, well, we do sort of, we get two weeks off between quarters, but two weeks seriously isn't enough. Though my next quarter is my last one (yay!), I plan on taking a little time off if I can.

What I find crazy about my school is how condensed it is. It's an 18 month course, and each quarter is 11 weeks long. They seem to pack as much work as they can in those 11 weeks. It's exhausting! Though I should come out of it with a good portfolio, kind of the point of the whole thing :p .

There are just times I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall trying to think of concepts. :(

[Greenday]

Speaking of school, I just got done with my research paper on a research paper...on a kinda random topic that there still hasn't been done too much research on. I will NOT miss these nights. Three more weeks...

[Arcade Man D]

BTW, I am never taking a math course three days a week ever again! EVER! I am going to try so hard to have it only on TTHU and not MWF. That was the worst decision I ever made, academically.

Consider yourself lucky you are taking MWF or TU math classes. The ones needed for a lot of degrees in the sciences or education are only available MTWF, as they're 4 credit hours, not 3.

[McDreidel09]

Well Arcade, I am going for Education, so that wouldn't bother me so much. It's just having my most hated subject three days a week with endless piles of homework that bugs me. Having a science class four days a week would bother me. I'm still in the gen ed years.

[Greenday]

Well Arcade, I am going for Education, so that wouldn't bother me so much. It's just having my most hated subject three days a week with endless piles of homework that bugs me. Having a science class four days a week would bother me. I'm still in the gen ed years.

I've learned I'd prefer to take a crappy class 3 times a week for 50 minutes each than a crappy class 2 times a week for 1:15 each or once a week for just less than 3 hours. You can skip it more if it's three days a week than if it's once a week.

[Arcade Man D]

Well Arcade, I am going for Education, so that wouldn't bother me so much. It's just having my most hated subject three days a week with endless piles of homework that bugs me. Having a science class four days a week would bother me. I'm still in the gen ed years.

You will take at least one 4-day a week Science unless you take an extended-period science. You'll have 3 days of 50-minute lectures, plus on a different day a 3-hour lab (that usually isn't taking up the whole period). Occasionally, you'll have a unit exam in place of that lab, especially in Physics where a 5-question exam will take 1:15 for the fast students.

Also, I don't mind my 4-day-a-week math classes. In fact, I'm taking 3 different math classes this Fall (Adolescent Ed - Math concentration to transfer to a Mathematics Ed/7-12 program at a 4-year), 2 3-credit, 1 4-credit. The one I don't like is Freshman Comp.

My Psych classes, though, have been a pleasant surprise. I can't wait for Adolescent Psych now.

[McDreidel09]

This is funny because I just picked my classes today. I do have a science class, but it's only three days a week. That's even with the lab because I opted to have the lab on the same day as one of the lectures. I have math twice a week for two hours. I don't mind that because that gives the instructor more time to get in depth and explain what we are doing more. I'm also taking adolescent psych:D

14 credits for Fall semester. It was either 14 or 17 and I would not be able to handle 17 and a job. I give kudos to the people who can handle 18 credits,working, and various clubs, while still doing really well.

BTW, I don't have to take Physics. We have a whoooole bunch of other stuff that I could take instead.

[muses_nightmare]

Yeah I don't know how people work and go to school full time. I almost had to, but I'm lucky having student loans and my mom helping (not to mention the fact that my boyfriend is an X-ray tech, so he's making decent money). I'm very thankful for that.

My classes are all 4 hours long, 1 time a week. And a week sounds like a lot of time to finish homework, but it's really not. Especially when you have to actually make packaging and such. There isn't a lot of studying, but homework time outside of class is pretty crazy. Most weeks I do more hours of homework than I used to work while I was working full time. It's crazy. Though I've heard people say that once you're done you'll wonder how you had trouble getting stuff done in the time we're given, and that there will be way more work than we're given. So I suppose it helps. but man oh man do I need to learn how to time manage better so I have free time sometime!

[AdminAssistant]

I decided to take a class this summer and knock out a language requirement - just hope financial aid will cover it and my living expenses. It would be glorious to not have to work.