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Mike Walker's Letter to Students
Time Management
Experience has shown over
time that the greatest difficulty SBCC students have with school
is time management. Almost all students work; many work full-time.
Many have spouses and children along with these jobs. Many students
also have active social lives.
Students often expect to
do the impossible: work 30-40 hours a week, have a social life,
and carry 12 or more units.
Quite frankly, this is asking
for trouble. You may feel it's possible, and during the first
few weeks of the semester, it may be. But then the first homework
is due; shortly after, a paper and three midterms are due. Then
come more papers, more midterms, and around the twelfth week of
the semester--long after the drop deadline--it seems the only
thing to do is vanish. Many students vanish; the only grade they
can receive is an F. Sometimes, a vanished student may return
on the last day of the class and ask for an Incomplete, but that's
not what the incomplete is for and the student cannot be obliged.
Why put yourself through this? College is difficult
enough without adding so much stress to your life. Here is a recommendation
of how to arrange a reasonable schedule of work and school:
Recommended
Hrs/Wk
WORK* |
Hrs/Wk
IN CLASS |
Hrs/Wk
STUDY TIME |
Hrs/Wk
TOTAL |
|
40
|
6
|
12
|
58
|
|
30
|
9
|
18
|
57
|
|
20
|
12
|
24
|
56
|
|
10
|
15
|
30
|
55
|
|
0
|
18
|
36
|
54
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*For this formula, "work" is defined
as any regularly occurring activity that prevents students from
either attending class or studying. This includes, but is not limited
to:
| Work--with or without pay |
Athletic Practice |
| Family Responsibilities |
Travel Time |
| Child Care |
Social Life |
Few people can sustain a long-term commitment to
excellence if their fixed-time commitments exceed 54 hours per
week. (Notice that the chart doesn't include emergencies like
going to jail, or having your car die or your house burglarized.
These things also happen, and they take up time.) On the chart
opposite, fill in the hours that are already devoted to "work."
List how many units you are taking, add the estimated study time,
and see what your total is. Start the
semester by making wise decisions regarding your time management.
| Time |
Mon |
Tues |
Wed |
Thurs |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
| 7:30 - 8:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 8:30 - 9:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 9:30 - 10:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 10:30 - 11:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 11:30 - 12:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 12:30 - 1:30 |
|
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| 1:30 - 2:30 |
|
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|
| 2:30 - 3:30 |
|
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| 3:30 - 4:30 |
|
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| 4:30 - 5:30 |
|
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| 5:30 - 6:30 |
|
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|
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| 6:30 - 7:30 |
|
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| 8:30 - |
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Standards and Tips for Your Success as a College
Student
Succeeding at school is not a
matter of luck but a matter of attitude, practice and organization.
Here is a list of practices successful students follow. If you
do these things, you will do better at school.
- Attend classes regularly,
be on time and stay for the entire class period. You
can't really learn the material a class offers if you're not
there. If your schedule is such that you will miss classes
regularly (for instance, if they conflict with athletic practice),
drop the class and take another. In any class, attendance
is absolutely vital to get the instruction and practice you
need to succeed.
Missed classes cannot be made up, and you will lose points
for each absence. If you are more than five minutes late to
class or leave more than five minutes early, you are absent.
Sleeping during class counts as an absence. Schedule appointments
outside of class hours. Anticipate obstacles to getting to
class on time and plan for them. Parking is a good example.
It always takes longer to find a parking space than you think
it will.
- Review your syllabus
regularly. Nothing is more frustrating than missing
an assignment just because you didn't look at the syllabus.
Know what is expected of you and ask questions if you don't
understand the assignment. Be aware of long-range assignments
so that you can balance your workload in all your classes.
Always carry a date planner where you can note assignments
and due dates.
- Complete all assignments
on time. Assignments usually are not accepted late.
- Come prepared with
all necessary materials. Be in the classroom at the
time class starts with a notebook open and pen in hand. Buy
the textbooks immediately and bring to each class meeting.
If you are unable to buy the book because of financial reasons,
see the Financial Aid office about an emergency loan. If you
are unable to buy the book because there are none left in
the bookstore, inform the instructor. Always bring your book
to class.
- Take Notes on anything
you don't already know how to do. You will always be
asked to apply what you learn in your writing assignments
and exams. Be sure to have clear notes to refer to.
-
Participate in class
activities. Small group and whole class discussions
are important parts of any class. What you say will help
others, and what others say will help you. Part of that
is turning off cell phones, pagers, etc., while in class.
Talking to other students while someone is trying to speak
or doing other activities not related to the class has a
negative influence on classroom interaction.
-
Take advantage of
office hours. This is a time set aside for you to
contact the professor if you need help with an assignment
or if you have questions or problems you need to discuss.
If you are unavailable during the teacher's office hours,
ask for an appointment at another time. Professors welcome
the opportunity to get to know you better and to spend time
one on one with you and the course material!
-
Take responsibility
for your education. The real difference between K-12
and college is that elementary and high schools expect you
to be passive and college expects you to be active.
- Excuses don't solve problems.
In fact, they often make things worse. If you have a problem,
talk to the teacher or support services about it. If you need
advice on financial aid, health services, etc., you may consult
your Student Planning Guide or your teacher for referral.
You are attending SBCC to achieve your personal and professional
goals. Don't let anything get in the way of your success.
- If you are registered
with DSPS, let the instructor know right away so that
they can determine if any special arrangements need to be
made.
Study Tips
- Plan, at first, at least two hours of study
time for each hour of class time. It may be that you will
need to revise this later, either for more time or less.
-
Schedule regular study times that stay basically
the same from week to week. Establishing definite study
hours will help you succeed in college.
-
Plan at least one-hour blocks of study time.
It often takes time to "warm up" during a study
session. Don't try to study during commercial breaks, or
while you're watching TV; it's a waste of time. Don't plan
on studying "in the cracks" when you have unexpected
free time. They may not occur.
-
Reward yourself for using study time effectively.
For example, you might allow yourself a telephone call,
a television show, a movie, or a snack after a period of
study. You can also give yourself "mini-rewards"
of 5 to 10 minutes of free time for every hour of study
time.
-
Try to schedule study periods before and after
classes. If you study while the information is still fresh
in your mind, the studying will be easier and you'll remember
it better.
-
Work on your most difficult subjects when
you are most alert. Studying at 2 in the morning after getting
home from work and you are exhausted is wasted time. The
material won't sink in.
-
Balance your activities. Allow time for family
friends, sports, entertainment, etc., in your schedule.
-
Make your schedule realistic, so you
are not always finding yourself with emergencies or crises
that cause you to eliminate study time. This is a bad habit,
one that is easy to get into.
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