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• 1 2017-09-22T11:38:21-07:00 Expectations and Planning 10 plain 2018-07-31T13:45:51-07:00 One of the biggest challenges for many first year (and beyond!) college students is balancing work, home, and academic life. Many students struggle adapting to a world in which parents and guardians are not around. It is not uncommon for students to become overwhelmed with the sudden responsibilities of studying, attending class, practice, work etc., without teachers or parents’ help. Even more students must add the needs of their partners, families, and children into the mix. Staying organized and balanced can be a struggle, but it can be managed, and is critical to maintaining a positive physical, mental, and emotional state in your college career. So how do we plan? In general, college students should expect to spend 2.5-3 hours per week, per class on homework. Homework will be defined, explained, and set up differently in all your classes. It is your responsibility to make sure you are aware of each professor’s expectations, and that you know when everything is due. The time you spend outside of class on homework will vary over the semester and between courses, but it will likely include a combination of completing work to be turned in, reading, writing, researching in preparation for class discussions. 
  
  For each of your classes, you should learn how the professor assigns work and the expectations for submission. Does the professor have assignments on a course schedule that's online? Are they assigned via Blackboard? Does your class have regularly scheduled assignments (for example, writing responses every Friday or quizzes every Monday)? Does the professor assign homework in class? How can you contact your professor? Email, phone, Blackboard, Slack, or some other messaging program? Most classes will have a rhythm of work; this may include reading, studying, homework, quizzes, papers, and tests. Part of being a successful student is adjusting your schedule to the various rhythms of your courses.
  
  In addition to adjusting to your courses' rhythms, you will also need plan on completing assignments. Does your course require printed assignments? If so, where will you print them? Are you required to make online submissions? If you have multiple assignments due on the same day, how will you complete them? When are assignments due? At the start of a class period, or submitted by the end of the day? These questions are important, because unlike middle or high school, your professors may not confront you about missing work. You may receive a reminder or a Starfish notice, but the choice to engage with the material is yours.
  
  Excuses
  First Year Composition classes all share an important policy: no late work will be accepted. Students will often expect excuses to change this policy, and they're shocked when they find out that excuses usually don't matter. Why? Think of it this way: an excuse may be why you didn't complete a particular assignment; however, you still have the responsibility for completing the assignment. If this seems harsh, remember we have digital solutions to many potential problems. If you find yourself unable to attend class, you can email homework assignments to your instructor. If you know about a problem in advance, then it's your responsibility to discuss the issue with your instructor. For important assignments, you should keep multiple saved files in different places. For example, keep a copy on your computer's hard drive or a USB, and have one saved as an attachment to an email, or use Google docs as a place to store important files.
  
  It's important to remember that your instructors do sympathize when you have challenges that interfere with your work. However, their sympathy doesn't mean you no longer have to complete your work. When you miss a day at work, whether it's your college-job or your future career, your job responsibilities don't disappear; someone else has to work your shift, or you'll have more work to do when you return. Your courses continue whether or not you're present or completing the work. Ultimately, regardless of reasons, you need to complete the required course work to pass any class. Of course, life is full of challenges, and you may have real issues that interfere with your courses. The best method to deal with these challenges is to contact your instructors as soon as possible and make arrangements to fulfill your course responsibilities as best as you can. If you do have serious problems, you may want to contact the Dean of Student Life for assistance.