2008 Woodie Awards
Overload
Tom Mertz
Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: Opinion
According to the University, students can expect about three hours of homework for every one hour spent
in class. Yes three hours.
The average student carries 15 credit hours. 15 x 3 = 45, and 45 (out of class hours per week) plus 15 (in class
hours per week) = 60 hours.
That is 60 hours per week devoted strictly to the academics listed on our student schedule. We all know life exists in countless more forms besides your student schedule. The average person is supposed to get eight hours of sleep each night. 8 x 7 = 56.
This equals 116 hours each week devoted to your student schedule and sleeping. There are 168 hours in a week.
That leaves the remaining 52 hours for the following… Eating healthy; which, as we all know, cannot be done conveniently on campus.
There are probably a handful of school administrators dumb enough to think they have provided us with plenty
of practical and healthy meal options, but we know otherwise. Eating healthy requires trips to the grocery store and time to cook.
Exercising; if you don't exercise you should not expect to be healthy. We (healthy human beings) need at least 30
minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week. Some time in the weight room can't hurt either. Seriously, it doesn't hurt you, it's good for you.
Social life; no one ever told you that it was good for your mental health to go through life as a hermit and avoid social relationships. We are expected (and of course want) to maintain as many healthy and friendly relationships as possible, which require a lot of time and energy. This also includes maintaining healthy
and happy family relationships.
Academic extracurriculars tutoring, debate team, SGA, fraternity/sorority meetings, activist groups (these are
highly encouraged at UVM)… etc.
Non-academic extracurriculars: Intramural sports, club sports, dance team A job: Unless you are lucky enough (strong emphasis on "lucky" here) to have your parents (or whoever) pay tuition, room and board, student fees and still put spending money in your pocket (for things like healthy food at a grocery store, and a few drinks now and again to take the edge off) you're going to need a paying job.
in class. Yes three hours.
The average student carries 15 credit hours. 15 x 3 = 45, and 45 (out of class hours per week) plus 15 (in class
hours per week) = 60 hours.
That is 60 hours per week devoted strictly to the academics listed on our student schedule. We all know life exists in countless more forms besides your student schedule. The average person is supposed to get eight hours of sleep each night. 8 x 7 = 56.
This equals 116 hours each week devoted to your student schedule and sleeping. There are 168 hours in a week.
That leaves the remaining 52 hours for the following… Eating healthy; which, as we all know, cannot be done conveniently on campus.
There are probably a handful of school administrators dumb enough to think they have provided us with plenty
of practical and healthy meal options, but we know otherwise. Eating healthy requires trips to the grocery store and time to cook.
Exercising; if you don't exercise you should not expect to be healthy. We (healthy human beings) need at least 30
minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week. Some time in the weight room can't hurt either. Seriously, it doesn't hurt you, it's good for you.
Social life; no one ever told you that it was good for your mental health to go through life as a hermit and avoid social relationships. We are expected (and of course want) to maintain as many healthy and friendly relationships as possible, which require a lot of time and energy. This also includes maintaining healthy
and happy family relationships.
Academic extracurriculars tutoring, debate team, SGA, fraternity/sorority meetings, activist groups (these are
highly encouraged at UVM)… etc.
Non-academic extracurriculars: Intramural sports, club sports, dance team A job: Unless you are lucky enough (strong emphasis on "lucky" here) to have your parents (or whoever) pay tuition, room and board, student fees and still put spending money in your pocket (for things like healthy food at a grocery store, and a few drinks now and again to take the edge off) you're going to need a paying job.
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