Why Are My Contact Hours Shrinking?

Self discipline going into honors, how to keep yourself on a schedule

It was sunny out on the way to my third year advising meeting. Not only do the first days back here in Scotland still carry traces of summer, sunny beaches and mild temperatures, but to me they have always carried the excitement of starting a new year. And although the temperatures will get colder and the sun will show its face less, this year carried an extra air of excitement: my first year of honors teaching. 

Like the rest of the sub-honors students, I had been slogging through required modules, with the most choice I was given being a third module that wouldn’t count towards my degree. Now, finally, I get to choose. Which brings me back to the advising meeting.

It went well; My advisor not only gave me my top module choices, but even let me into a course I hadn’t been allotted but desperately wanted. However, it was only after walking away, with a bright smile on my face at the prospect of my upcoming semester, that I realized something. My timetable had four hours of class. And no, not four hours a day, or even every two or three days– four hours a week with no additional tutorials or supplementary material. 

After querying my friends and classmates, it turns out I wasn’t alone. This phenomenon was widespread among the newly minted honors students, but slightly exacerbated for me due to my two classes being on the very same day. Apparently this was normal, and I knew I was going to struggle. 

St. Andrews as a university has always had an inherently self-driven aspect of teaching. Readings for the week done outside the lecture and extra essay work are things we have all become accustomed to. But those self-directed elements came into play at least four times a week, three in lectures as the material discussed and one in a tutorial setting where questions required some pre-requisite knowledge. Beyond having these academic benchmarks, the sheer amount of teaching hours in the calendar seemed vast compared to the new honors reality. 

The university isn’t going to change its practices overnight. Honors students have managed and succeeded before, so how can you? 

First, and most importantly, know your academic learning style. If the lack of contact hours leaves you feeling ambivalent, perhaps this isn’t the end of the world. But for those who thrive on routine, schedule, even accountability, now is the time more than ever to be proactive in crafting what this semester will look like. My calendar has become my best friend, and slowly, a plan has begun to emerge. It is still an ever evolving balancing act to be sure, but allow me to share some of my insights. 

Being active, particularly if you are not engaged in a university sport, has begun to fill my mornings. I find that having a set “gym time” fills my mornings and gives me a dedicated wake up time that has become essential to my daily routine. And yes, the gym may seem daunting, but even if you don’t want to step foot into Saints Sport, other options exist, be it Salt or my personal favorite, the East Sands Leisure Center. The point of getting active is twofold: not only does it function as a form of self-care that, if done correctly, can only produce a mental as well as physical benefit, but it begins a routine. If time on your calendar is set aside to bike, run, even go for a walk, especially in the morning, several things get headed off. No sleeping until noon, no sluggish start to the day, and again I cannot overstate the benefits of just getting out of your own head. 

Another key to my routine is being employed. While jobs in St. Andrews can seem tough, with some places choosing not to hire students and others taking them requiring unsustainable hours, I can assure you it is possible. First, and most importantly, the zero hour or low hours contract. As I am able to choose and influence my own work hours, I can craft my schedule, making sure the time I work is adding to my routine but not taking away from academic flexibility needed for outside work. It also gets me out of my flat, a sort of third space beyond the classroom, where for the brief hours that I am in my uniform, my concerns revolve around the tasks at hand. 

Scheduling my social time is another method I’ve found helps bring some more structure to my days. This may sound a bit crazy, but allow me to explain. Impromptu coffee runs, chats after class, and spontaneous nights out obviously don’t factor into this. But filling my calendar with family events that require planning ahead of time, catching up with an elusive friend, or making time for a dinner has allowed me to make sure I am pouring my energy into my relationships.  

You may have caught onto the common thread by now: filling up one’s calendar adds back the structure your empty timetable might inherently lack. Ultimately, I haven’t figured out the absolute key to a balanced life or excelling during honors. However, I find that being able to trace my days, whether it be mornings at the gym, afternoons at work, or nights with friends, allows me to look forward in a way beyond my two lectures on a Thursday.

• #notes #organization
• college
• schedule
• university