This one is for all the students at the University of Oregon, Cal Poly, or any school on the quarter system. That’s because all of our friends will very shortly be posting on their Instagrams and Snapchats about how they’re out for summer and enjoying doing absolutely nothing with their days. Meanwhile, we have five more weeks of school to get through…good luck.
In all honesty there are a lot of perks to the quarter system, and if we have any chance of making it to summer without complete FOMO then we need to focus on the good.
We’re not actually in school any longer than colleges who are on semesters, our timing is just different. It’s because of this timing that we’re lucky enough to go into winter and spring break without any homework. Our classes also go by way faster, so if you have a professor you cannot stand, you’re tolerating them for less time than if it you were at a semester school. Also, going off of that, because the terms are so short, you really can’t get behind. It starts and then it’s over, and I think that’s pretty great.
With the quarter system you get to take more classes and in the long run find out what really interests you. College is the time when we’re supposed to figure out who we are and who we want to be. There’s also an opportunity to take more electives and enjoy the less academic side of what your college has to offer. So, take advantage of the multitudes of courses you get to take and try not to focus on the bad.
So, how do you actually survive quarters when it gets to the end of the year? First, remember that you started way later and when September comes around, your non-quarter system friends will be saying goodbye to summer and hello to the books long before you even have to think about school. Along with that, take all the pros from above into consideration and focus on your life at school.
Even though school may be stressful, you are independent and with all of your friends. Go out and find a new place to eat or a new record store you’ve never been to before. If all your friends from other schools are making you jealous then that just means you need to get out and do more. If we keep waiting for tomorrow, next week or next month then we’ll never truly enjoy the present.
Get out, explore and enjoy!