Now that classes are back in session following the winter break, many of us are faced with an old enemy: the three-hour lecture. I have so many issues with the three-hour lecture that I may end up writing another article just to try to convince Queen’s to ban them. It’s hard for both professors and students to focus for that long – we’re hungry, we’re tired, and (almost always) we’re cold. So if your winter semester schedule has a dreaded three-hour lecture, here’s how to survive it:
1. Bring Snacks
Three hours are a long time to go without snacking, and when your lecture spans over a mealtime (11:30 to 2:30 lectures, I’m looking at you!), being hungry means it can be even harder to focus. Bring some fruit or a granola bar to give you some extra energy! (Just try not to choose something too crunchy, so you don’t distract others!)
2. Coffee or Tea
Somehow EVERY three-hour lecture I’ve ever had has been freezing – once to the point that I couldn’t type notes because my fingers were numb. Easy solution? Bring a thermos with your favourite caffeinated beverage! Caffeine to keep you awake, warmth to keep those fingers typing!
3. Use Your Breaks to Your Advantage!
Most profs don’t want to talk for three hours straight, and they know you don’t want to listen for that long either. If you’re given a break, use it wisely. Stretch those legs, run to the bathroom, and give your brain a break too.
4. Eat Before Class to Avoid a Grumbling Stomach
You may not be hungry BEFORE class, but I’m willing to bet you will be once you’ve been sitting in the lecture for an hour. If you’ve forgotten a snack, you’ll be cursing yourself! Instead, try to eat an early meal or a filling snack, so you don’t get weird looks for the noises your stomach makes.
5. Try to Find (or Make) a Friend
Sometimes you’re lucky enough to have a friend enrolled in your class, but if not, try to make a friend! Having a buddy in class means someone to swap notes with, and if you zone out, hopefully they caught what you missed. You get to act as each other’s safety net if you miss class, and you have an automatic study buddy. Win/win for both of you!
6. Dress Comfortably
Three hours of skintight jeans or an itchy sweater is not going to make these lengthy lectures any less unpleasant. That said, if that is what you find comfortable, then that’s all that matters. Wear what is best for you – whether that’s a pair of sweatpants or a classy cardigan to keep cozy. All that matters is that you are comfortable and able to focus on what matters: the lecture. Bottom line, you do you.
7. Be Wary of Laptops
Laptops are great for taking notes and keeping up while the prof speaks way faster than you had expected. But, they can also be a distraction. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Buzzfeed, you name it. They all call your name, but don’t let them. Try using a browser extension, like Citrus for Google Chrome, to block certain websites for however long you need to. Nevertheless, know that once you start the clock, you have to wait it out.
8. Bring a Laptop Charger
Even if you don’t think you’ll need it, you never know what could happen. Maybe a friend’s battery dies, and you become her saviour. In the end, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Three-hour lectures can be the worst, but they’re not the end of the world. They’re manageable, and with these survival tips, hopefully they’ll feel more like a one-hour lecture instead!