With less than a month left of
the Spring semester, students
at Bucks are greeted with volumes
of papers, group projects,
and final exams – most are
struggling with the heavy
workload.
Alex Brill, 19, a health and
physical education major from
Doylestown has experienced
the stress of an abundant work
load first hand. “I have to
write ten pages for a composition
paper, then a five page
paper, a video mash-up project,
and a group project about alcohol
abuse” Brill said. The
beginning of the semester was
nothing she says, but now “The
professors are just piling
everything on.”
Bahar Hadi, 20, a computer
science major from Langhorne,
cancelled his plans to visit relatives
in Canada because of the
increased assignments. “It’s
annoying” Hadi said, “In my
one class, we just went on the
website a week ago that has all
15 assignments that are due by
the end of the semester.” Hadi,
has to work at his part-time
restaurant job pay for all his
living expenses in addition to
going to Bucks full-time. “I
have to pay for everything
myself, Bucks needs to understand
that people have jobs
too” Hadi said.
Brill and Hadi are not alone.
Corinne Graber, 23, an education
major from Levittown, is a
single mother with a part-time
job working at a cleaning company.
Graber is carrying a 15
credit course load for the
spring semester, fitting all her
classes in on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. “I have about
three to four hours every Mon,
Wed, and Fri, when my son is
at school. So all my school
work is jam-packed into that
time” Graber said. Graber
said she has to complete three
papers and five tests by the
close of the spring semester.
Like Graber, Kelly
Cummings, 23, marketing
major from Bristol, must juggle
a busy school schedule
with the raising of her 2-yearold
son. Every Thursday,
Cummings comes to Bucks at
9 a.m. But her first class isn’t
until 6 p.m. “I crunch everything
in on Thursdays”
Cummings said, “I spend the
whole day getting all my
school work done.” Cummings
finally calls it quits at around 9
p.m. after a 12 hour day of
cramming and note taking.
The students are not the only
ones feeling the pressure
though; the end of the semester
is just as stressful for the professors.
“What a lot of students
probably don’t realize is
that as the semester wears on, I
feel the heat too,” said
Professor Stephen doCarmo.
He’s been teaching English
composition and American literature
at Bucks for the last
nine years. “I’m a person too”
doCarmo said, “I get distracted
by the warm weather just as
much as anyone else.”
Students who may be getting
a case of “the screw-its”
should visit their professors,
suggests doCarmo. Talking
with the professors is a great
way to motivate both parties,
doCarmo said, “Most professors
would like to see their students
more, so stop on in!”
The gradual semester progression
from light to fairly hectic
is typical.
Time management plays a
huge part in the stress felt by
students during this part of the
semester. The Director of the
Tutoring Center, Nicole Tracey
suggests planning ahead. “Use
a planner or the calendar on
your phone to write in when
assignments are due” Tracey
said, “Talk to your professors
and make sure you plan and set
aside time to study in a place
that won’t be distracting to
you.” Students, she says,
should stay positive and be
confident about their work and
abilities.
Patrick McGhee works as a
writing tutor at the Tutoring
Center. McGhee said that “If it
looks like something is too big
or unmanageable, break it up
into daily tasks.” Students can
go to the Tutoring Center for
assistance too. There, in addition
to dozens of tutors, are
several hand outs for time
management skills and tips.
“A kitchen isn’t built in one
day” McGhee said.
The final day of spring classes
is May 12.