On course withdrawal worries

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So you’ve withdrawn from a class … now what? The best thing to do after you’ve withdrawn is to get in touch with the professor.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.

Debunking common college myths

Calling all freshmen and upperclassmen who are still a little lost: do you ever get confused by all of the horror stories about colleges? Do you ever find yourself second-guessing a decision that could possibly change your life? Fear not my friends and classmates because your very own college myth buster is here to help. College can be both a fun and scary time for people. Maybe it’s being away from home for the first time, not knowing what you want to do with your future. Maybe it’s simply having more difficult classes to deal with. Either way, everyone comes to college with some prior “knowledge” about it. What are the common myths that everyone has heard? More importantly, which ones are true and which are false?

One of the most common myths is that you have to graduate in four years. College doesn’t take the same amount of time for everyone. Some people take six years while others only take three. Despite how long it takes you, you’re still getting the education and that’s the important part.

Another widespread misconception is that declaring a major determines your entire future. Many people believe that once you decide on an academic track, you’ll be stuck with a career in that field forever. That’s not true. Sometimes life can throw you in for a loop. Even though you majored in biology, you might end up being a lawyer. Majors are meant to guide you, not decide life for you.

Some professors still take attendance just like high school teachers do. Even ones who don’t will generally take notice of absentees. So yes, you do have to go to class. But look at it this way: you’re learning things that you’re interested in, you get to decide what and when your classes are and you’re paying a lot of money to take them so you might as well attend. College classes are a lot more fun than high school, anyway; they’re engaging, interesting and exciting.

One last myth is that the website RateMyProfessor.com is a reliable source of information. It’s great to get a few opinions on a professor before you take a class with them, but don’t allow the opinions to be too influential when you make schedule. Yes, hearing terrible things about a professor can be daunting, but every student learns differently. Perhaps this professor could become your favorite. As trite as it sounds, don’t judge a book by its cover.

Don’t let some silly college myths prevent you from having an incredible college experience. Listen to what people say, but take everything with a grain of salt and learn from your own observations and experiences.