Over the past month, I have been enrolled in an online Summer course through my university. Tons of students do it each year, whether it be to increase their GPA, trying to graduate early, or working out some extra credits. The course that I participated in this Summer was an advanced writing course, which was required by my major. Many people may feel that this is a waste of a good Summer. Others may feel that a Summer course is too overwhelming because it is an entire semester’s work packed into only a few short weeks. I will admit, Summer classes can be challenging, especially if you are working on top of taking the class, but Summer classes definitely have their benefits.

One thing I like about taking Summer classes is that they are somewhat cheaper than regular courses. Taking Summer courses is a great way to save your wallet. However, some universities and colleges do not provide financial aid during these times, so it is important that you check with your financial aid office before signing up for any courses.

Another reason I love Summer classes is they are flexible. Many of these classes can be taken online, which is fantastic because driving back and forth from home to school each day would be such a pain. I get to same some gas and watch an episode of Orange is the New Black between each assignment, although this many not be the best study advice I can offer. I am able to maintain a job while I take this course because I can follow my own schedule. It is true that many of these classes still follow strict deadlines, but as long as you are meeting the required deadline, you can use the time as you please.

My favorite perk about taking a Summer class is definitely being able to do my work from home. I can never sit still. Sitting at a desk to work all day is less than ideal. Even when I know I have to hunker down and work my butt off, I feel far more comfortable working from home, sitting on my couch. When I would take classes during the Fall and Spring semesters, I was often sent to the computer lab because the WiFi almost never worked in the residence halls. Being the antisocial person that I am, I felt completely uncomfortable in this setting. People were constantly in and out, which was extremely distracting. Others could not stop talking if their life depended on it. Many of them were loud and would answer phone calls while everyone was trying to focus on their assignments. What kind of person could work in those conditions? I certainly could not!

Although overwhelming at times, having the opportunity to take Summer courses as been a gift to me, for both my GPA, my wallet, and my sanity.