Every college student dreams of having a four-day weekend. In fact, most students try to plan out their schedules to avoid classes on Friday, just for that extra day. Speaking from experience, this can be harder than you’d think! I have never been one to care much about my schedule, as long as no classes overlap and I’m taking classes I enjoy. A few months ago, I sat down to plan this semester's classes with my adviser, professor Jillian Marshall. I selected all of my classes and then drew out my schedule on paper to help visualize my week. Professor Marshall read aloud the days and times each of my classes met while I color-coded my schedule, and that’s when we realized I had somehow managed to have no classes scheduled for Monday or Friday. I quickly looked back to check that I had written in all four courses, thinking perhaps I’d missed one. Nope, that was it! I was pleased with my choices and already looking forward to these continuous long weekends!

When the semester started, I began to worry my schedule was not as great as everyone else thought it was. I was loving my classes–three out of the four only met once a week for two hours and 45 minutes–but I realized that because of the amount of material we cover, I needed to also schedule time for my work outside the classroom. I was unfamiliar with the way these courses worked and was used to doing my work during the week and having plenty of spare time Friday through Sunday. I began to realize what having no class Friday and Monday really did for me—it gave me the days to do the work! This schedule has grown on me and I’ve come to prefer it over my previous schedules. (Too bad it will probably never line up this way again). I have developed stronger time management skills than I ever thought I would.