As the weather changes and it is finally starting to feel like summer, our Instagram feeds are filled with grad pics, internship announcements, and friends moving home for the summer. But not us quarter students! While the quarter system drags on for another month and we wonder why we didn’t choose a semester school, here are 10 reasons why we love and hate the quarter system at the same time.
We Love:
THE WEATHER
We all know WA summer is June-September so us quarter students reap the full benefits of the beautiful weather through the end of summer break.
Bad professor
You only have to deal with them for 10 weeks! Everyone is bound to have a bad professor in college, but knowing the quarter will be over in 10 weeks or less makes it a whole lot easier.
Quarter system students average 3-4 classes per quarter, semesters average 5-6
Only having to keep track of three classes can do wonders for your stress and time management.
You don’t have to return until mid-September
While all your semester friends are knee-deep in term papers and exams you can be going on hikes or hitting the Labor Day sales at the mall, worry free!
Every finals week is followed by a break
In the fall, we have a four-week winter break, in the winter we get spring break and in the spring, we’re done for the year! Semester students can Spring Break in Cabo but have to come back to all the homework they ignored from before their vacay. Quarter students—feel free to celebrate being done with finals before starting your next quarter, without any work hanging over your head
We Hate:
Staying in school until June
All our friends are posting photos of them tossing their caps and going on vacations and we’re still thinking about our mid-term paper that’s due this Friday.
The quarter system makes studying abroad so much harder
Most programs are based off semester terms so students who choose to go abroad often get their summer cut short having to leave in Mid-August.
Quarter Students get put that much further behind on jobs and internships
Many companies ask students to start in May but quarter students are still in full time classes then. Semester students can have an edge when applying because they can start the job much sooner than those on quarters.
Transfer credits can be a nightmare
If you did running start, took high school classes for college credit, or transferred from another university getting those credits to transfer to a quarter system can be a process, and sometimes they don’t even transfer. #WasteOurTime2017
Longer Thanksgiving break
In the fall, Thanksgiving break is often an oasis before finals hit, but quarter students usually only get 5 days maximum. Most semesters school get at least a week off, sometimes up to 10 days!
With that being said, the quarter system is here to stay so buckle in and get ready to finish the year strong. After all, we won’t be back until September!