Is the semester too long or too short? An interesting question, but a question I’ve never given much thought to until recently. Who better than students to gain insight on this pressing matter?
“I personally believe it’s too long,” Gabriella Rodriguez, a Fresno City College student said.
She is taking 18 credits this semester.
“Six classes really ends up adding up so quick. For some classes, I have a week. For other classes, I have like four days to get work done, so it’s a lot. The workload is crazy,” Rodriguez said.
She feels that semesters should be starting in September rather than August while still ending in December.
We have entered an age where Generation Z heavily prioritizes a work and life balance. Maintaining this delicate balance is integral in avoiding burnout, stress, anxiety, and other issues that plague the student body.
Dedicating every waking hour to work or school will surely send us into an early permanent retirement. Should the result of furthering our education and careers be soulless drudgery?
A shorter semester would improve the quality of our education by providing greater flexibility, especially for students starting later if they miss the spring or summer enrollment deadlines.
A shorter semester would also help students maintain a greater work and life balance.
I performed much better academically during a shorter course. I took a film studies class outside of FCC, but this was an accelerated course that lasted about a month.
This shorter course allowed me to focus fully on my assignments as well as making it easier for me to retain information.
We must unlearn what we have learned about education. We are no longer in the days of Henry Ford.
The eight hour work day is no more, so it is time for not just FCC, but for schools all over to embrace new styles of learning. Why the hell not?
