As one of the very few students on the quarter system, I have found that there are a lot of struggles that Semester system students don't have to deal with. So here's an ode to all my other quarter system pals out there as we gear up to start another year, we can do this!
1. All your friends on the semester system leave for school a month before you.
These past two weeks, I have helped my friends pack and move into their apartments, knowing I still have over 3 weeks until I even get to move into my apartment. I kind of feel like a mother who’s sending all her children off to school… and I think Ron Swanson sums up this situation the best when he says “Friends: one to three is sufficient”. But hey, I have watched a lot of Netflix this past week so there’s always that.
2. The lecture slide changes from syllabus to chapter 1, then to chapter 2 all on the first day of class.
"Wait butttttt, what about syllabus WEEK ??"
3. Having to take finals before you can leave for Spring Break.
Trying to make your spring break plans while studying for 5 finals all at the same time.. out of the 12 hour days spent in the library, only half were actually studying, and the other half were spent finding the perfect outfits for spring break. Meanwhile, all your semester school friends can actually get excited about spring break before the Friday before you all leave.
4. Having midterms at the same time as your friends on the semester system who started a month earlier than you.
Hey but at least you know you're all suffering through midterms together.. even if yours are only 2 weeks into the quarter.
5. Watching all your friends on semester system come home for summer break when you still have over a month of school left.
Then by the time you even get home for your summer break, your friends are already going back to school for summer classes
6. Winter break is only 3 weeks instead of a month and a half.
Theres not even enough time to watch half the christmas movies I own...
7. Classes are only ten weeks long
“I only have 10 weeks to learn 20 chapters of Chemistry ??!!!????" That's setting me up for a loss already.
8. You actually refer to the weeks as a frame of reference for when things happened.
Referring to when this happened as "during week 4" and all your semester friends think you're totally weird for actually knowing what week it was when something happened.
9. Sorority/ Fraternity dues, parking passes, and tuition have to be paid for 3 times a year instead of 2
Okay this can be good or bad... You usually pay less per quarter than a semester student does per semester, but it all adds up to be the same, and having to actually acknowledge how much money is being spent three times a year rather than only twice is definitely a minus.
10. There is never a week without a midterm in one class or another.
A week without any midterms comes around about as often as a unicorn
11. Looking for summer internships but they all start before you even get out of school for the summer.
With all the free time on my hands this past week, I've decided to plan out my next summer, you know, 11 months in advance. Looking at internships for my major, however, showed that most summer internships I was interested in start the first week of June, when the quarter system doesn't even finish finals until mid June. Can you say UGHHHHGHHHH?
