The Start of The Semester – A Shock For The System

Photo provided by Megan Silva

An immediate overwhelm.

Disclaimer: This is not an attack on our professors or our university. This article is based on the writer’s personal experiences and observations, and may not reflect the experiences of all students. 

It is that time of the semester again – when syllabi are handed out like ominous prophecies, caffeine becomes a food group, and students slowly realize they signed up for too many credits. The beginning of the semester has arrived, and with it, the collective panic of realizing that winter break is over and academic responsibilities are very, very real. 

Some students cope by getting ahead with readings, others by staring blankly at their schedule wondering where it all went wrong. I, for one, prefer the latter. Let us be real,the stress levels at the start of the semester are astronomical. Professors, in their infinite wisdom, believe it is a great time to assign five chapters of reading, three discussion posts, and pop quizzes – all before the add-drop period even ends.

Do not even get me started with syllabus week. Despite what the name suggests, it is less of a gentle introduction and more of a slap in the face with due dates and grading rubrics. Now, I understand the importance of education. However, must we endure icebreaker activities that feel like forced social torture and immediately drown in coursework? There must be a better way.

Perhaps a system where the first two weeks are dedicated solely to easing in by watching informative documentaries, engaging in friendly debates, or, dare I say, simply getting to know the class without a mountain of assignments looming over us? Although college is not for the weak it would be nice to have a slower integration into the semester instead of being dunked in and completely traumatized.

Some say stress builds character. I say stress builds a twitch in my left eye. If the beginning of the semester truly prepares us for the “real world,” the real world must be a terrifying place of deadlines, sleep deprivation, and overpriced textbooks.

So, dear professors, and dear university officials, I humbly propose to be more gentle towards students, maybe just a little. For the sake of our sanity (and the overloaded campus printers), let us make the start of the semester slightly less overwhelming. 

Or at the very least, let us get free snacks out of it.