I remember seeing the email through my online university portal; a chance to take a semester-long course in three weeks under what my college (CSU Fresno) called "May-June Intersession." It was the weeks between the end of the finals week of spring semester and the start of the summer session classes.

One of the classes offered was a music class that was a part of my upper division general education requirement. I was a bit hesitant at first since the class would begin after my first semester from at a four-year university as a transfer student. I wasn't sure if I wanted to add three weeks to my already hectic spring semester - the idea of taking a semester’s work in three weeks remained daunting to me.

However, since I wanted to get ahead so I can be sure that I graduated by the Fall of 2018, and I wanted to get this class out of the way, I decided, in the end, to go for it.

There was some benefits and disadvantages to taking the course. One disadvantage was that I paid to pay for the class before I could be sure my financial aid could cover it. Since the class was about $800, it put me in a temporary financial bind.

Also, at my university, the May to June intersession still required a parking permit. Since I hadn't had a parking permit for the spring semester, I had to choose between taking the bus or taking my car and paying the $3 daily permit for the entire three weeks. I had taken the bus only twice a week during the semester, but taking the bus nearly every day was something I wasn't used to.

The advantages, however, outweighed the disadvantages. On the few days, I had to drive to class; I enjoyed the ease of traffic and the natural ability to find parking. I was initially perplexed by the short amount of time it took to walk from either the bus stop or parking lot to my classroom. It was then I realized I wasn't worried about waiting to cross any streets packed with foot and car traffic, and I didn't have to meander my way through crowds of people to get to my class.

The professor also broke up the class by 10-minute breaks, so a 3-hr class each day didn’t feel that long. Although it felt hectic at times, due to deadlines approaching so fast, it was not unmanageable.

It went by fast, and by the last day, it was a relief to know it was all done and would get to enjoy my summer. I would suggest to any student to take a class like this, If it is offered at your university, and you feel you can manage to do a semester’s work of one class in three weeks.