“I’d pick the dangerous one because I’m not afraid of a challenge.” – Elle Woods. This choice, indeed, was dangerous, and many students wouldn’t dare to take it on. When my friends found out about the insane plan I had, they couldn’t believe it either. Taking twenty-three hours in one semester is not for the weak, but I felt silly and decided to do it anyway. I faced many ups and downs that spring semester when I decided to take on this workload, but despite the obstacles, it helped me grow, learn from my mistakes, and improve on areas I usually struggled with before. If you are considering taking on more hours than recommended for a full-time student, this is the article for you, so stick around and see if taking on more hours is the right decision for you this semester.
Why did I DO THIS TO MYSELF?
Is this a cry for help from an Aggie biochemistry major? Many questioned my sanity when they learned about the many hours I took that spring semester, which is reasonable considering that most students can register for about 18-19 hours. However, despite the apparent madness, I had a reason for doing this. I had been a mentor for the spring semester in my sophomore year, and the class that I used to instruct was scheduled on a Tuesday, which, as many may know, Engineering Math 152 loves to take place, especially with exams. However, this didn’t lead me to my decision to take 23 hours. It was the fact that I still needed to take a physics class, and if I hadn’t taken one, I would have been behind in my degree plan. Despite how much I’m not fond of physics, it was a prerequisite for some of the classes I needed to take to fulfill my major requirements in the future. That’s when I got the idea to remain on track by taking on a few extra hours for that spring semester, but the question was how? I registered for those two classes through my community college to take online during that same spring semester. Shoutout to Lonestar College!!
But a reminder: even if the class is online, you still have to put in the effort, and it can even be hard at first when trying to schedule your time for it and to make sure you stay caught up in assignments.Â
How did I survive?
Spoiler Alert: Coffee and Crying Were Involved. I might be exaggerating a bit, but one sure thing is that that semester, I drank coffee late at night, and I usually never drink coffee, so it was not healthy, but it was necessary. To give you an idea of my schedule that year, I took about 17 hours at TAMU and 6 hours at Lonestar. With those 17 hours, I also had a writing intensive hour for a research lab, so I had a thesis due around the end of the year. Besides my academics, I also had some extracurriculars that I was a part of that I wanted to volunteer in, as well as the position I had as a mentor that required me to go to meetings and figure out how I would teach the lesson plan presented to us. I was running around campus everywhere and had to figure out how to study for the classes that I enrolled in.
It all sounds so overwhelming, right? Well, it was the first month; however, over time, I began to develop a routine that would help satisfy the aspects of my academic, extracurricular, and personal life. I noticed that at the beginning of the first month, I was slammed with work and worked on it all day and rarely started to see friends and hang out with others. I realized something needed to change, so I began to do my assignments before the deadline instead of the day off and would do them throughout the week to reward myself with a calm weekend. One of the things that I also changed in my routine to be successful in taking on these hours was waking up early in the morning to study and finish homework. I know, shocking!! But it was for me as I realized staying up too late at night can make you not function the next day, and even as a certified night owl, I needed some sleep. So, for any homework I wanted to get ahead of, I would sleep earlier and wake up early to finish and study for those classes.
I also had an excellent support system that would always reach out to me and motivate me to continue with the challenge I set myself to complete. This was also a time when I realized that I needed to put myself first to function and be motivated the next day. Taking time throughout the day to read a book or just put on your favorite show on your laptop was one of the ways I used to unwind, and I found that those little breaks were essential. I didn’t realize how beneficial it was to take a break from the work I was completing. I used to have the mindset that taking a break and unwinding would make me fall behind; however, after taking these breaks, I felt more motivated and refreshed to take on the next assignment thrown at me.Â
What could I have done better?
The main thing that I struggled with throughout my 23-hour journey was time management. As I said, the first month was rough and showed me that I needed room for improvement. There were times when I even missed some assignments that passed the deadline because I was focused on finishing work for one class and just remembered the other. THIS IS A BIG MISTAKE WHEN TAKING ON THIS MANY HOURS. You must pay attention to all your classes. Think about them like plants. They always need water and sunlight to grow, but if you forget to give them what they need, they eventually dry up, which, in this case, would be your grade in the class (I’m so philosophical, but seriously, take your time with each class). This was my main issue when I did assignments and attempted to study, but I always did it last minute and pulled all-nighters. This would have been easily avoided if I had a concrete study plan. However, I don’t regret this experience as it helped me find the way I learned best. Sometimes, a bit of failure can lead you to find something better to help you succeed. In my case, it motivated me to find the way I learned best for each course’s specific material. Along with reminding yourself not to neglect your classes, please remember not to neglect yourself in the process.
Should you take 23 hours?
There are a few things to consider before taking on this challenge. It is doable, but remember, before you sign up for this crazy ride, be honest with yourself and know your limits. Suppose there are some things you need to improve, such as time management, in my case. In that case, I recommend fixing it before going into this to avoid going on the occasional existential crisis. Also, if you are certain that you will continue with this plan and nothing is stopping you, make sure you have a support system and also be prepared to wing it occasionally. Completing this challenge gave me a sense of accomplishment, as it was a heavy load. But remember that your sanity and social life are worth protecting; always prioritize yourself. So, if you are considering taking on a similar workload to my semester last spring, weigh the pros and cons because it’ll be chaotic, but it is doable, so don’t be discouraged.
Always prioritize and take care of your well-being! Good luck with future challenges!!