Anthony vellutato/graphic designerchristopher r. blake
staff writer
crb724@cabrini.edu
My hazel eyes traveled from the ancient green chalk board to the crookedly hanging black and white clock on the porous cement wall.
Day in and day out I sat slouched in my seat glaring up at the clock in my overfilled high school classrooms. From early morning till late afternoon I played the “time game,” counting down the minutes till each class period was dismissed.
Playing the “time game” does not help a student find success in the classroom and consequently my grades suffered. Not until college was I able to focus while in class. The transformation ultimately improved my grades. But more importantly class became enjoyable.
Why the sudden change? I believe that scheduling my classes from Monday through Thursday while having Fridays off was the best choice of my scholastic career thus far.
Having classes early in the week rather than late can help improve a student’s academic and life mentality. Now the “time game” will change from a student counting down the minutes on the clock Monday through Friday to a student focusing on class four days a week.
The change may seem small but I believe students will see positive results in the classroom and their own personal lives.
The mental attitude of an individual can be the determining factor between success and failure. In every aspect of our lives we must strive for success whether it is in class, work, sports or our relationships with others.
Taking classes Monday through Thursday I place myself in the best possible circumstances to succeed. My mental attitude going to class each day is positive and by the time I have basketball practice in the afternoons and homework at night, my energy is still upbeat.
Not only do I find my attitude in class growing more optimistic each day but my lifestyle outside the classroom has seen many improvements.
Having an extra day at the end of the week allows students to transition into the weekend and plan ahead on what they want to accomplish during their time out of the classroom.
Some students may use Fridays to get ahead on their homework or a long term project.
Others may plan a weekend excursion with their family or travel to another college. Another beneficial possibility is working.
Although my education has always been important to me and I was fortunate enough to attend respectable institutions of learning I was never able to enjoy school. Not until I made the decision to shorten my school weeks did school become enjoyable.
From one student to the Cabrini College community: taking Friday classes off has worked wonders for me. Find your own path in life and enjoy every second along the way.
We only live once. Don’t let the “time game” ruin the precious moments in your life.
meghan smith
staff writer
mes733@cabrini.edu
School is Monday through Friday, it always has been. Why not continue this pattern in college?
For the three semesters I have been at Cabrini, Friday classes have graced my schedule and I have yet to encounter a serious problem with this decision.
Every Friday morning my phone rings at 10:30 a.m. to wake me up for two back-to-back classes. Compared to the Friday 7:30 a.m. buzz kill that got me out of bed last semester, I consider this a blessing.
Do I enjoy waking up and going to class while my friends spend the day sleeping? Not so much but I have looked past the daunting task of waking up after a Thursday night and realized the benefits of being a five-day student.
Working three jobs, being a member of the cheerleading squad and staying on top of my 15.5 credits has created a hectic schedule for me this semester. With so much to do, I have been forced into mastering the art of time management.
I feel strongly that my Friday classes play a major role in keeping me on track.
I’m in class on Fridays from 11:05 to 1:45. By the time I get back to my room my friends are still sleeping and I’m left with nothing to do. This idle time leaves me with two choices:
Crawl back into bed and be lazy because hey, it’s Friday.
Do my homework that is due Sunday so that I can enjoy my weekend.
I usually opt for No. 2 simply because I have no other time to get it done. Having been in class already for a few hours, I am in the right frame of mind to do work whereas if I had just woken up around noon I know I would have zero motivation to do homework.
If you have class on a Friday, take a look around and notice how many students surround you-probably not many, right? With fewer students, the class atmosphere becomes laid back and allows the students and professor to interact on a more personal level. In my experience, I have found my professors to be in a better mood on Fridays than they are during the first class of the week.
Personally, I would never schedule five classes in a row on Tuesdays and Thursdays to ensure a day of rest on Friday. I don’t know about you but I was happy to leave my eight hour school days behind.
By scheduling one or two classes on Friday, I feel that I will be more prepared for life after graduation. In case you were wondering, the real world doesn’t give you off on Fridays, so why get used to it?
