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My Growing Workload in University

My days are filled with homework, tests and assignments.

When I was back in high school, I thought I had a lot of homework. I was always complaining about how many tests and assignments I had, and my teachers never failed to give the same “wait until you go to university” remark. My mistake was that I never believed them.

I have been in school for only three weeks so far and I have found myself constantly working on homework, tests and assignments. In the Radio and Television Arts program at Ryerson, the school picks your classes for first year. I am in six classes; and the problem with this situation arises when deadlines and due dates begin piling up. I have my due dates written in my personal agenda, on my wall calendar and I have even made weekly to-do lists for each class, just to stay on top of everything. Never did I imagine that I would be pulling all-nighters during my second week of school!

I assumed that since I am not in a program such as Engineering, Science or Business, that I would not have as heavy of a workload. On the first day of school, when I was told that we don’t have midterms or final exams, I was further convinced that I was in for an easy ride. However, as my readings and assignments began piling up, I was proved wrong.

Gone are the days of teachers holding your hand through school, and checking that you completed your homework and assigned readings. In university, if you don’t do the readings, you don’t do the readings. If you don’t show up to class, there is no secretary that calls your house and penalizes you. Classes are far too large for the professors to notice or even care if you don’t show up. Want to spend your whole class asleep on your desk or painting your binder with whiteout? All the power to you. In university, it is your responsibility to do what is asked and to stay on top of your work. If you don’t, you’ll pay the consequences in due time.

My advice: DON’T FALL BEHIND. In university, you don’t have the same classes every day, or even all year as you may have experienced in high school. This means that you have to cover the same amount of content in less time, which results in a lot more being covered in class, and a lot more homework and reading. Because school is moving so fast in university, falling behind for even one class can have a huge impact! Stay on top of your classes!

With my huge workload, plus trying to get involved in extracurricular activities, you can imagine my excitement when I learned that I will be taking seven classes next semester.

Wish me luck!