Top Ten Reasons to take an Extra Semester of Classes

  The daughter called (well, Google-chatted) to tell us that she had big, sorta bad news. In a nutshell, when she was sick earlier this semester she got too far behind to pass one of her studio art classes. She searched the University of Wisconsin system's summer school offerings, but no one in the transfer network offered the course she needed. She needs one more studio art class as well, so she opted to stay in school for an additional semester. After our initial panic, we took a collective deep breath and said, "Don't worry." Then, from the Home Office in Northeastern Wisconsin, we created a top ten list for the occasion.

 

Top Ten Reasons to Stay in School a little longer

(some by Mom, some by daughter; can you tell which is which?)

Still be covered by family insurance

No job search in recession economy

Work at the school newspaper another year and gain concrete resume experience.

One more chance to make nice with the school football coach.

Get to call yourself a Super Senior

Be older and wiser than your classmates

Take some extra beneficial classes

Graduate with friends

More time to do weird silly things

Staying means a new reference because the dept. is getting a new adviser

Her other bad news was that her garden department job had cut their budget, so due to her later-than-usual availability this June, she's laid off. Ah, well, she's not surprised. We'll put her to work at home; the pay is a little lower, but the benefits rule.

Comments

[laurie]

This happened to me and was the best thing ever. My "second senior year" as I referred to it, even though it was just a semester , was so worth it. It meant I graduated in the spring instead of Dec. (education major). I picked up additional certifications, and I had an awesome personal time engaging in "college social behaviors" with out so many academic pressures.

[Meagan]

I took an entire extra year to finish my art degree, planned, from soph. year. I had such a drastic change of majors that it would have been pretty horrid to fit everything in, even though the change was early. Fortunately my parents were supportive (or just resigned) and this ended up giving me wonderful time to focus on my bfa thesis. Talking to some of the faculty, many thought the art program SHOULD have been a five year program, like archetecture.

I always called it my victory lap. :)

[Daisy]

Thanks for the support! I like the "victory lap" idea. I'll pass that on - when she gets home from Italy!