A student summer: OSU students get into the books over the summer

Summer school; what was once a college nightmare is now quite common for the average student.

Many students take college classes over the summer to get ahead of the game, focus their full attention on one course, or even prepare to graduate sooner. Oklahoma State students are no exception to summer school. In fact, here are some student stories of how they balance classes during their summer and what they do in their free time.

Keeping a consistent schedule for studying and working on schoolwork can be tricky during the school year, so what does it look like for those in summer school? Catherine Scott, a biology major at Oklahoma State, has a great idea of what the daily routine of taking a summer course is like.

“Taking a class in the summer is definitely not the most fun thing since you have homework to turn in more frequently, but my class was online and asynchronous, so I just needed to submit everything before the due date. “Scott said. “Physics can also be a tough 4-week course, so I really had to spend a few hours each day reviewing notes, doing online assignments and labs, and watching review videos.”

But as with any schoolwork, schoolwork isn’t always consistent. After all, it’s still summer vacation. Camden Fleming, a mechanical engineering major, worked hard not only in school, but also at a summer job he works on the side.

“I mostly worked. I have to pay tuition and rent somehow,” Fleming said. “I also like to surf the lake when I can find free time.”

JJ Sartain, also a mechanical engineering student at OSU, noted that it was rare for him to have time off from his summer classes.

“My summer mostly consists of going to school and the gym. I don’t have a lot of free time.”

The advantage of summer courses, even if it is not the most fun way to spend a sunny vacation, is obvious. Shaylee Ragan, a pre-med major, uses her summer course to stick to her schedule.

“I wanted to ‘get ahead’ or get easy credit,” Ragan said. I have room in my schedule to take another graduate course next semester now! »

While for some summer is seen as a time of lakeside days and vacations, for these students it’s all about earning those extra credits and earning top grades.