Jaylen Carr – Sports Editor
The university has passed the halfway point in the semester, and students are beginning to reflect on the highs and lows and how they might cope with the grueling semester.
Computer science major Phoenyx Meira, a freshman, said, “the semester has been a little stressful. There are definitely some classes that are more work-inducing than others.”
Meira said some professors don’t care enough about the classes they teach.
Public health major Talia Lent, a graduate student, said her semester is going well, and she is on campus frequently working for the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development.
“I am on here the majority during the day, and then at night, I am going to class,” Lent said. “It is a lot to juggle, but I think it’s going pretty good.”
Music major Farah Hamada, a freshman, said her semester is going well so far, but she did feel stressed a couple of weeks ago when she was sick and had to miss class.
“I had to miss a whole week of class, and that was definitely stressful because I missed a lab, and figuring out to make that up was tough,” Hamada said. “We rescheduled the lab, and the professor was nice about it.”
Meira said she is doing well in both computer sciences but prefers one because of the professor.
“I have A’s in both of them,” Meira said. “One is more enjoyable just because of the professor.”
Meira said the semester has been stressful because she is taking eight classes. “I just have a lot of little assignments to do.”
The major challenge for this semester is paying for tuition, Meira said. “I think a lot of people can relate.”
Lent said balancing work, school, and personal life can be challenging.
“Just talking with professors is just because they know it’s important for students to make connections,” Lent said. “I feel like that is something that a lot of students can relate to just because regardless of where you work, even if it’s on campus or off campus balancing having a job and also going to school can be a lot.”
Anthropology major Kristian Marroquin, a freshman, said his semester is going well because of the support he has.
“I didn’t feel stress because I have more of a better community than I was last semester, Marroquin said. “I have the MCC; I also go to CASAS to help me with tutoring as well with certain subjects that I am not that familiar with.”
The Multicultural Center, MCC, has been a resource for students to express themselves and meet new people.
According to the MCC university homepage, “MCC welcomes all students, faculty, staff, and community members to our events while at the same time supporting and celebrating specific constituency groups.”
CASAS, better known as the Center for Academic Success and Accessibility Services, according to its website, is an excellent resource for students to get help academically.
Marroquin said he goes to CASAC frequently throughout the week.
Marroquin said if students are stressed from their academic assignments during the semester, they should take a break and take deep breaths.
“I know for me, I like to go on walks, and I have a bike, so I like biking around too,” Marroquin said. “Talk to some friends and just have a little bit of fun in short periods of time.”
Lent said students should take their time and not worry about their grades too much because their mental health is essential.
“Take it one step at a time and try to live in the moment,” Hamada said. “I feel like a lot of people spend more time worrying about the things that they have to do.”
Hamada said that managing your time better is also a great tip to relieve stress during the semester.
Marroquin said, “put your mental health first because if you cannot put your mental health first, then how will you get your work done.”