Written by Alex Dunn, Campus Life Editor

For some, summer is the time when that long-needed break from school has finally come. For others, it’s an opportunity to get those extra credit hours and finish classes sooner. However, it is not as easy as one might think.

Since the term is much shorter than a regular semester, there is a common misconception that the amount of work won’t be nearly as much as during fall or spring.

Classes in the summer usually last for a month or so, depending which month they’re taken and if they’re online or in-person. Because the term is so short, professors try to cram as much information in as possible to make up for the lack of time.

Some students had to learn to adjust quickly so that they wouldn’t fall behind in classes.

Nyeelah Innis, a senior sociology major, has taken multiple summer classes since she has been in school.

“I had to dramatically change my time management skills, sometimes doing homework in other classes so that I could turn the assignments in on time,” said Innis.

Others didn’t fall for the misconception that the term short means less work. Students even went to online forums to ask the opinions of those that had taken summer courses.

According to studentdoctor.net, what determines the difficulty of a summer course-load is the type and amount of classes. Also, the intensity of the course can greatly affect its difficulty.

There is also the possibility of upholding a job while taking courses. Some students find that they have to choose which is more important in order to be successful in a course.

Pate Council is a senior history major who is learning for the first time how strenuous it is to take more than one course in such a short amount of time.

“I had to give up my job for the summer so that I could focus on my classwork,” said Council, “Plus, I wouldn’t have had time to work anyway because my classes last all day every day.”

Although taking summer courses may seem like the quickest and easiest way to earn credit hours, it doesn’t mean that it’s any less work. Time management and making time for completing classwork is key to succeed in a summer course.