From Structure to Freedom: The College Schedule

My first year as a Drexel Student has been a significant change from my high school life. No more structured time slots and classes from seven in the morning to three in the afternoon daily. No more dedicated times to eat lunch. Instead, my week is filled with classes in different time slots and activities that make each day an adventure.

My week is filled with classes in different time slots and activities that make each day an adventure.

The college schedule can become a little hectic, however. On Mondays, I have class from nine in the morning to nine at night with two hours in between partitioned for dinner! On this day, I am running around trying to travel to all my classes and complete my work on time. In one instance, I have ten minutes to get from my English 102 class in the Main Building to my Japanese 101 class in Paul Peck building. I am basically traveling from one corner of the Drexel campus to the other. Yet, I always manage to get to class with time to spare (with a little bit of running), so my Sensee does not embarrass me in front of the class with Japanese I cannot understand.

In comparison to my crazy Mondays, I do not have any classes on Fridays, so I get to enjoy a three-day weekend every week. Nevertheless, I am still active and busy filling up the empty time by volunteering at a hospital, going to mandatory Japanese tutoring, and working. Because I do not have to attend any classes on Fridays, I am able to schedule all my other necessary activities and meetings. For me, this extra day is a lifesaving, glorious time.

Of course, this schedule is catered only to me and my needs. My roommate has a schedule that is completely flipped from mine as she is the busiest on Fridays. We literally always meet at the door as one person heads into the dorm room and the other person leaves. The difference in schedule is quite common between my friends, but we always find a time to meet and relax after a stressful day, even if it is at two o’clock in the morning.

As much as I love this schedule, it only lasts ten weeks in Drexel! For next quarter, I scheduled a completely different timetable with Tuesdays and Thursdays being drawn out days dragging my feet to class all day and Mondays being days of rejoicing the wonderful freedom. While the quick turnover may seem stressful and hectic, it is one of features that I love best about Drexel. It ensures that I never fall into the same boring rhythm every day. I can try new schedules and classes that truly creates an adventurous atmosphere characteristic to the college experience.