When my school got shut down because of COVID-19, I was on my last week of the quarter. I finished off my four classes with really good grades. I was excited because I had worked hard in those classes despite a lot of life changing circumstances I was going through. My spring quarter, this quarter, was only going to be online for one week. I thought it would be okay, and it meant a spring break that was a little longer. Then, in the blink of an eye, I was moving back home and my entire school went online.
The biggest misconception right now that professors have is that we’re home all day, at least should be, and we have time to do all of our homework and complete huge assignments in an environment that isn’t built for work. But the reality is that college students are anxious, unsure of the future, and a huge portion of them are facing the fact that they lost their graduations. Other students are struggling to cope with being inside all day, or being back home in situations that are what they wanted to get away from in the first place. Not only that, but most of us are dependent on our parent’s taxes so we’re already not going to be part of the stimulus check coming in. And with major student job loss across campus, and even those who work outside of campus, the financial insecurity we have hit is a large burden to carry. It’s a lot of change in a time where there’s not a lot of hope.
For professors to be assigning heavy course work in a time where people are dying by the hundreds is a weird, dystopian thing. And because of it, I dropped one class. I had never dropped a class before or wanted a three class quarter. But I had to face the fact that I couldn’t take care of four classes, especially one who demanded too much for no reason, and take care of myself at the same time. I was disappointed because I really enjoyed the topic of the class and the professor wasn’t a bad person. There was too much of a demand, and I knew I shouldn’t feel guilty for dropping a class I know I can make up.
Times are strange right now. We’re living through history, and we’re allowed to be nervous and scared. We’re allowed to take breaks without guilt. We’re allowed to feel everything that is consuming us. So, if you have one class that has demanded ridiculous amounts of work or an unempathetic professor, don’t be afraid to drop it. You’re still going to be a full time student, and you’re going to be okay.