Without boring everyone with my life story, I went ahead and enrolled in three classes for the summer with the encouragement of an advisor.  However, all the while I was thinking "three classes for the summer?  That seems like an awful lot."  All classes are two months long, and in total I would be taking seven credit hours.  I want to speed through getting my degree finished up, but I don't want to overload myself either to the point that I can't do anything *but* study, y'know?  I have OCD and depression to boot, and needless to say I have a record of getting overwhelmed.  And yet, I really want to take all three classes; I just don't know if I can handle it, so I'm at a huge dilemma.

 

What is every else's experience with summer classes?  Is this just a really bad idea?  I won't be working, but I have real-life obligations in like that require at least a few hours of my day.

Without boring everyone with my life story, I went ahead and enrolled in three classes for the summer with the encouragement of an advisor.  However, all the while I was thinking "three classes for the summer?  That seems like an awful lot."  All classes are two months long, and in total I would be taking seven credit hours.  I want to speed through getting my degree finished up, but I don't want to overload myself either to the point that I can't do anything *but* study, y'know?  I have OCD and depression to boot, and needless to say I have a record of getting overwhelmed.  And yet, I really want to take all three classes; I just don't know if I can handle it, so I'm at a huge dilemma.

 

What is every else's experience with summer classes?  Is this just a really bad idea?  I won't be working, but I have real-life obligations in like that require at least a few hours of my day.

i havent done summer classes but i really wouldnt take 3 at once if i were u 

Well for me (since I'm attending a community college), I sign up for 2 classes in the Summer while in the Fall and Spring I do 4. Of what I've heard about Summer terms in this community college I'm attending, they are pretty short. Like for Summer 2014, I registered for 2 classes, but one of them is for Summer 1 and the other for Summer 2. 

 

My opinion on 3 classes(part-time), it's a lot of work, just like having 4 classes (full).  But if you really wanted to finish up to get your degree, I guess go for it. And plus I the only reason why I attend 1 to 2 classes in the Summer is because Financial Aid can't pay for my classes, since I used them up for the Spring term.

Edited May 21, 201510 yr by RikuFangirl2008

I've only taken one or two classes tops during summer sessions. Three seems a bit much for me, especially since summer sessions are much more accelerated and you're packing in a lot of material into a shorter amount of time than you normally would, so I'd definitely find it overwhelming. And it's hard enough to concentrate when everyone else is out having fun, and you're stuck in school taking classes during the summer.

 

But anyways, I think it depends on a lot of things. Like the difficulty of the courses. If they're courses that are known for being difficult, or having a particularly heavy workload it might be better to save them for the regular Fall/Spring sessions, where you can spend more time on them. It of course depends on what you yourself think you can handle too. I know some people who can breeze through three summer courses, but others, like myself, can't handle that much, especially with other obligations to tend to like in your case. 

 

Also, I understand the want for getting your degree done ASAP, but I wouldn't rush through it if it means not doing as well in your courses as you could have because you're overwhelmed by a heavy course load. It might be a good idea to push one course to another session in that case. 

 

Whatever you choose to do I wish you the best of luck though, and hope all goes well for you!

When I took summer courses, it was never more than one at a time. Summer courses are typically accelerated versions of the ones you'd find in normal semesters, so combined with my general laziness, there was no way I could handle the workload. I understand wanting to get things done fast and early, but if you fall behind you'll get trampled. If you have your doubts and have a history of getting overwhelmed, I'd say play it safe. Don't take more than you can handle.

Thanks for your help, guys.  I really appreciate it immensely.  Your thoughts pretty much confirmed my own, so I don't think I'll be taking three classes simultaneously.  It would just be too much, I think, especially since I'm a perfectionist and want perfect grades (and get overwhelmed trying to be a perfect "everything" as a result).  Thanks again!