The last day to withdraw from classes was Wednesday Nov. 11. For a lot of students, whether or not to withdraw from a class is an extremely difficult decision. There are plenty of positives and negatives to consider before coming to a final conclusion and, of course, each individual’s circumstances are unique.
Some semesters can be more difficult than others. Whether you took on too many general education courses at one time, are realizing the major you chose is not for you or you signed up for more credit than you can balance with extracurricular commitments, sometimes you just need to lighten your course load in order to stay sane. Withdrawing from a class is not something to be ashamed of if it’s a decision that makes sense in the grand scheme of things.
Don’t feel defeated. Remember that defeat implies failure and you did exactly the opposite—you made an executive decision to better yourself for the future. Unnecessary stress is something that is often perpetuated throughout the sphere of college: “Do as much as you can!” “Get involved!” “Take more credits!” While it is necessary to push yourself if you want to succeed, it’s all about moderation: there’s no point in burning yourself out.
So you’ve withdrawn from a class … now what? The best thing to do after you’ve withdrawn is to get in touch with the professor. Send them a quick email explaining your decision. You can even visit them in person. Head to their office hours and have that one-on-one conversation.
Most professors are going to be understanding because they know how rigorous college can be and that it’s important to put your mental health first. By explaining the situation that necessitated your withdrawal with your professor, you will prevent chances of leaving a bad impression behind—something especially important if the professor may be teaching future courses for which you need to register.
To reiterate, it’s OK to withdraw from a class. Learn from the experience and take something from it. Whether it’s time management skills or some self-reflection, this event happened for a reason and just know that there is always room for improvement. For now, pat yourself on the back for recognizing that your own sanity and happiness are worth more than any one class.