Can you stand 3 hour classes?

[CHCOOH]

I'm a soon-to-be college freshman and I signed up for a writing class that meets once a week for 3 hours straight. Is this bearable, or should I try to switch out?

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[ready2go2]

Depends on the material. But generally no for me. I prefer shorter times, especially if it's seminar-like and the discussion is lacking.

 

[freakingoutabit]

Professors of 3 hours classes typically schedule a 5-10 minute break in the middle of class, for what that's worth. Also, because it's a writing class, I'd imagine that it's discussion-based. That might be a bit more bearable than a 3 hour lecture.

But yeah, they're tough. Upside: class only once a week! Downside: the last hour is brutal, and missing more than one class can really hurt you.

 

[Koalafied]

Often times these kinds of classes get the early release schedule(s), especially on Friday afternoons.

 

[TriagePreMed]

aww freshmen and their fear of 3 hour classes. How cute.

 

[sunflower18]

I took a three hour intro psych class my freshman year at night. It was like, 6:30p-9:30p. It was really long, but I really liked it actually. It was nice because we didn't have to waste the first 5 minutes of every hour settling in, and recapping where we left off and such. There was time for lecture + discussion + demonstrations. I think it was really cool, even though it was tiring. I've also taken 1.5 hour classes, and those are less good because they don't have the benefit of being quite long enough to engage in all sorts of activities, but they are noticeably longer than the typical hour long classes.

 

[Mel Belle]

I took a 3-hour anthropology class my freshman year. I tended to forget about it. Which is bad because it's three classes worth of material for one class. If you get behind at all you will be swamped. That class was a combination of lecture and discussion which I didn't really like. I don't really care about some story my classmate has to tell. I wanna learn the material. I also tended to nod off during that class. I didn't find the content boring but it was just so much time sitting there doing nothing. Sigh. We did get out early for many of the classes, but not much.

Avoid them like the plague. I recommend doing a night lab instead of a night class if you have to choose. Because at least with a lab it's only one lab you work on compared to three classes in one. If you forget about it it's a little less overwhelming.

I admit to being completely unorganized my first semester, okay. Haha. It can take time to get used to college, but you should definitely do everything in your power to avoid disorganization, such as night classes.

 

[mvenus929]

I took a couple seminar and history classes that only met once a week for a couple hours each. They weren't too bad. Depends on how engaging the professor is. In my history class, we'd often watch videos, which would make the time go by a lot faster.

 

[Goro]

Yeah asking us? Only you can answer this.

I had a 4 hr electron microscope course once. And my students are on their butts for a good 8 hr a day.

I'm a soon-to-be college freshman and I signed up for a writing class that meets once a week for 3 hours straight. Is this bearable, or should I try to switch out?

 

[Womb Raider]

I'm a soon-to-be college freshman and I signed up for a writing class that meets once a week for 3 hours straight. Is this bearable, or should I try to switch out?

Three hour classes are GREAT for college. Meeting once a week is a rare opportunity that you should milk every time the opportunity presents itself.

If you ever feel sleepy or discouraged while in this class, just remember that somewhere, out there, there's a CT surgeon doing a 6+ hour operation standing on his feet.

 

[Jumpstartmy5HT]

I once took a 3-hour grad-level history seminar course. It was painful, but I think it would have been painful even if we met twice or three times a week.

I also took several other 3-hour history and science classes. They were fine. I usually had my laptop with me and surfed the net.

 

[mehc012]

I far prefer it...lets me schedule all of my work when it's convenient to me, instead of having a constant bombardment of classes!

 

[Mel Belle]

I think it would be a different story if most of your classes were night. That may be kinda nice.

 

[mehc012]

Also, to be fair, I just finished a summer session where I had 3hr classes on MTWR nights and a 6hr block on Friday, so I'm definitely in that mode Apparently summer sessions are condensed, who knew? Last time I'll be signing up for 3 upper level bios in summer

 

[BlueLabel]

The only 3 hour classes I ever had were labs; usually they weren't too great (except for anatomy which I kind of liked). I imagine a 3 hour lecture would drag on and be really irritating. On the other hand, if you bring your laptop and headphones and sit near the back, it could be a great opportunity for you to catch up on a few seasons of Breaking Bad. The choice is yours.

 

[premedgear]

I'm a soon-to-be college freshman and I signed up for a writing class that meets once a week for 3 hours straight. Is this bearable, or should I try to switch out?

If it is your only class that meets for 3 hours, then it will probably be unbearable. However, I am pretty sure this class will let you out early a few times.

 

[AGSIII]

Really, it's just three hours. Show up, take notes. It will be fine. Additionally, many professor will give a small break with longer classes.

 

[brownbaglunch]

.

 

[mehc012]

OK, first I HAVE to ask, what happened to the other two H's in acetic acid?

I think that the big problem with classes that meet for 3 hours straight once a week as opposed to 90 minutes twice a week is that they skimp on instruction. You end up getting out early and taking breaks. People taking it twice a week get more of what you payed for.

Plus, I could do just about anything unpleasant for only 90 minutes.

That totally depends on the professor...all of my classes actually went over on time, and we finished the entire textbook. As long as the professor is organized, these classes can work really well...and they clog up your schedule a lot less!

 

[487806]

I'm a soon-to-be college freshman and I signed up for a writing class that meets once a week for 3 hours straight. Is this bearable, or should I try to switch out?

Your username is a nonexistant compound.

Your fear is understandable since you didn't start college. Once you begin, you have nothing to worry about. I took a four-hour lab on a monday night. I survived. So can you.

Or if you're smart and planned enough, you can always skip classes that don't require attendance.

 

[hmockingbird]

I was "afraid" of night classes for awhile in college, I think I thought I would forget to go to them or I would end up being really bored. It turned out I had to take a few in my major because they were trying to cater to the commuter/night students and would only make certain classes available as night classes. Never turned back. I loved night classes and if I had known that earlier I would have taken more as a freshman/sophomore. It was so nice to get class out of the way in one go (I felt like I had so much more free time even though objectively it was the same - just because my schedule was more consolidated) and like others I felt like we were able to get more done. I also felt like I got to know my classmates more in those classes - it wasn't as much of just an "in and out" like with regular classes since you are forced to spend so much time together at once. I did end up with one that was pretty boring but honestly I think I sat in the back and brought a book to read (it was a lecture). LOL Our professors always gave breaks in the middle and sometimes we would have people bring dinner for the whole class, especially on presentation or test days.

 

[mehc012]

I was "afraid" of night classes for awhile in college, I think I thought I would forget to go to them or I would end up being really bored. It turned out I had to take a few in my major because they were trying to cater to the commuter/night students and would only make certain classes available as night classes. Never turned back. I loved night classes and if I had known that earlier I would have taken more as a freshman/sophomore. It was so nice to get class out of the way in one go (I felt like I had so much more free time even though objectively it was the same - just because my schedule was more consolidated) and like others I felt like we were able to get more done. I also felt like I got to know my classmates more in those classes - it wasn't as much of just an "in and out" like with regular classes since you are forced to spend so much time together at once. I did end up with one that was pretty boring but honestly I think I sat in the back and brought a book to read (it was a lecture). LOL Our professors always gave breaks in the middle and sometimes we would have people bring dinner for the whole class, especially on presentation or test days.

the schedule consolidation can't be beat!!

 

[Ismet]

If anything, it's good practice for med school and keeping your attention span longer than 1-2 hours. I had 3 hour night class in either freshman or sophomore year and it wasn't bad, mainly because it was on a Tuesday and I didn't have anything else scheduled Tu/Th except for that class and I believe a recitation or 2. If you have a full day of class beforehand, you might be wiped by the time you get to the 3 hour one.

 

[Helixkam]

I usually don't stand them but sit......*crickets*

 

[487806]

I usually don't stand them but sit......*crickets*

Where do you sit them? In the classroom right?

 

[Helixkam]

Oddly enough "sitting for a test" isn't really a common expression I'm the US. You only ever really hear people from other places say that '*random observation*

 

[487806]

Oddly enough "sitting for a test" isn't really a common expression I'm the US. You only ever really hear people from other places say that '*random observation*

To sit means to put something in one place; to situate

 

[jaybird117]

My friends and I took turns taking notes. Make sure these friends are trusted, competent friends before you do that, though

 

[mehc012]

To sit means to put something in one place; to situate

It's a pretty common phrase elsewhere in the world, and crops up occasionally in the US...they "sit for an exam" rather than "take a test". To be fair, neither take nor sit is being used in its normal form, so there's not really a 'more correct' colloquialism!

 

[The Buff OP]

I have done a 7 hour class twice a week. You'll be fine.

 

[487806]

It's a pretty common phrase elsewhere in the world, and crops up occasionally in the US...they "sit for an exam" rather than "take a test". To be fair, neither take nor sit is being used in its normal form, so there's not really a 'more correct' colloquialism!

I know but I wasn't referring to that... just forget I even mentioned it.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

I think it really depends on the class. A lot of people here are saying that a 3 hour class isn't so bad, but my experience was different. In my last year of college I took a three hour, once a week graduate neuro course. I, along with everyone else it seemed, went into the class thinking "this won't be so bad". Fast-forward a couple months and even the professor was barely able to stand it anymore. During break he actually apologized to us saying he was never going to do a three hour class again. Meanwhile no one in the class had the mental stamina to keep taking notes after the first two hours, and many didn't even last that long. I think what made it so bad was that it was 3-4 solid hours (he liked to run over by 30-60min) of extremely dense comparative functional neuroanatomy. It was the kind of class that really shouldn't have run longer than 50 min.

However, I imagine that if you're taking a three hour philosophy group discussion class then it's a lot easier.

 

[mehc012]

I think it really depends on the class. A lot of people here are saying that a 3 hour class isn't so bad, but my experience was different. In my last year of college I took a three hour, once a week graduate neuro course. I, along with everyone else it seemed, went into the class thinking "this won't be so bad". Fast-forward a couple months and even the professor was barely able to stand it anymore. During break he actually apologized to us saying he was never going to do a three hour class again. Meanwhile no one in the class had the mental stamina to keep taking notes after the first two hours, and many didn't even last that long. I think what made it so bad was that it was 3-4 solid hours (he liked to run over by 30-60min) of extremely dense comparative functional neuroanatomy. It was the kind of class that really shouldn't have run longer than 50 min.

However, I imagine that if you're taking a three hour philosophy group discussion class then it's a lot easier.

Depends on the prof, I suppose. 3hr Neuro 2x/wk...made it through the entire textbook in 8wks, and enjoyed the hell out of the process!