Syllabus week is known for supposedly being one of the easiest weeks of the semester, but sometimes that couldn't be further from the truth. Some professors take a more aggressive stance when it comes to the first week of class, inevitably leaving students questioning everything they thought they knew about syllabus week.
Walking around campus you are sure to encounter someone complaining about how hard their week has been... that person may even be you.
1. "Who said syllabus week was supposed to be easy again?"
When the professors pile on the lectures, homework and projects the first day back, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Syllabus week is notoriously famous for being one of the easiest weeks of college, but with some classes or professors, this simply isn't true.
2. "Why do I already have so much homework to do?"
The last thing you want to do is homework during the first week of classes. You haven't really gotten back in the swing of things, and there is so much to do during the first week back that sitting around working on homework seems like pure torture. The sooner you finish, the sooner you get to see all of your college friends again, so you suck it up and do it while hating every moment of it.
3. "Really? A lecture on the first day of class?"
Nothing's worse than walking into a class for the first time and the professor saying, "Okay class let's start the lecture for today." No introduction, list of expectations or even a syllabus, just straight to business. While this kind of class can certainly catch you off guard, at least it means you won't have to participate in an icebreaker. After the first few semesters, you start to get used to this, and it won't be such a surprise anymore.
4. "Why are there sooooo many group projects this semester?"
Syllabus week really helps to highlight all of the assignments due during the semester, meaning that the impending group projects are on your mind more than usual. During syllabus week it seems like there is no way you can possibly finish all of the work in one semester, let alone figure out how to schedule your time so you are able to work on all of your upcoming projects. Group projects don't always end up being terrible, but you really never know in college.
5. "Why am I taking this class again?"
It never fails; there's always that one class that leaves you questioning why you signed up for it. More often than not it happens during syllabus week when the semester ahead is looming over you. This thought is also the reason why the people in your class always change during the first week of class. As the semester rolls on and classes get more difficult, you start to wonder why you didn't drop the class like some of your classmates when you first laid eyes on the class syllabus.
6. "Maybe I should change my major?"
Sometimes required major classes suck and the thought of changing majors to avoid such a class seems like the perfect solution. You almost always never mean it when you think it because the reality is that there is probably a required class you will hate just as much as the one you are taking now.
7. "Maybe I shouldn't have bought the book for this class..."
There's a good reason some upperclassmen tell you to wait until the first day of class to buy your books. Some professors not only decide that they don't want students to buy the book but that they are going to change the reading list altogether. This makes saving money on books a nightmare, so you are better off just waiting unless you know you'll need the book the first day. That way you don't have a "maybe I shouldn't have bought the book for this class..." moment.
8. "I miss summer vacation."
Going back to school after a long summer at home is hard. The first week back is always one of the hardest because you need to readjust to going to classes, doing homework and going to all of your club meetings. Balancing your time when you get used to not having a schedule is hard and makes you wish you were back at home relaxing without a thousand things to do.
9. "Please don't make us share fun facts about ourselves."
There is no other way to ensure your students hate you faster than making them do an icebreaker in college. Sharing information about yourself is never as bad as the class' disinterest and unwillingness to participate in whatever game the professor has come up with to get to know their students better.
10. "Wow! This is going to be a great semester!"
When all is said and done and you have survived syllabus week, this is one of the last thoughts you have. After all, you haven't been to enough classes yet to have crushed all of your motivation for the semester. While there may have been a few rough patches along the way, you know that you will try your best to make this a successful semester.
It might not end up being the easiest week of the semester, but at least you've already finished one week of the school year.
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