Starting the Semester: Hacks for Students and Professors

Hello, KC. We're having a busy day. We are having a busy day,

that today is the first day of the fall semester that we're recording,

we are back for season four. Boom, in full effect. And we look

back. I'm really feeling that full effect. Yeah.

Okay. Today, KC, today, students are coming back to campus where they already

move back onto campus, classes are starting up,

students may be transitioning from virtual learning to in person learning,

or still having virtual learning. How is that going?

Well, so we are one of those campuses

who is coming back on time as expected, we're still in the pandemic,

and so we got the Omicron variants spicing things up, and a number

of universities have taken different approaches, some like an Ivy League

school down the street, for example, is virtual for a few weeks and

then they'll be on ground, but then they're being advised not to go

to local restaurants or stores or anything. We're coming back and the testing,

we've got N95 mask, all that stuff. But different schools... Yeah, so you're

teaching with an N95 on? Oh my god, I'll tell you about that

later. But so anyway, we're one of those schools that is back as

scheduled, some are starting later and skipping spring break, we did that

last spring, and let me tell you, spring break is very important for

mental health. So, here we are back. I feel like it's still too

soon for me to know necessarily how folks are doing, but

I taught a couple of classes this morning,

and it's a mixed bag in terms of how students are doing,

I think. Yeah, it's... Can we get a peek inside that bag?

And you wanna... Alright, here's the peak. So I asked students,

toward the end of class, I had students write down a few words

about how they were doing, and then we share some of those out

loud, and then they turn them into me and I saw more of

what's going on for folks and just 'cause I think it's really important

to be very open about mental health and

open about the fact that everything is not

"normal" and that folks are struggling, but also you gotta know your audience,

like "Am I dealing with a bunch of people who are excited and

ready to learn, or am I dealing with a bunch of folks who

are stressed out and anxious." So anyway, the first student who said something...

He said, "I'm curious." And I was like, "Whoa, that's great,

that's wonderful. I'm also trying to be more curious instead of... "

What do you learn? Yes, great. I'm trying to be more curious and

less critical or less judgy to just be like,

pause, "I wonder, I wonder why that person cut me off in traffic."

Or "I wonder why this student is acting this way, I'm curious."

So anyway, that was surprising, and then the next student said,

"Oh, I'm motivated." I was like, "Oh, wonderful. We're doing great." And

so of course, it's much easier to share

when you're doing well, than when you're not, so of course then we

were hearing, "I'm tired, I'm nervous, I'm hungry,

I'm anxious, I'm stressed." But we also had excited and optimistic.

One student said, "I'm introspective." Wonderful, it's a great time of year

to be introspective. One student said, "Low energy."

And I was looking at this list motivated,

nervous, happy, anxious, stressed, optimistic, low energy. It's like I'm

all of those things, I sort of cycle through those in the day,

and so it's helpful to see. And then

when I was looking once I got back to my office,

people shared a lot more negative... What we would consider negative emotions

of sadness and loneliness and hopelessness. And I'm glad that they wrote

that down and were willing to share that

with me, 'cause I think it's important to express that stuff.

But students are carrying a lot with them

when they're back here in the classroom, whether that's in person or online.

Well, we do know... One of the most important things in higher education

I have learned, is students sense of belonging and students sense of community.

That's right. With this pandemic that's been so difficult, so many students

have been isolated from communities that have enriched their lives and supported

them and uplifted them while they were completing the undergrad and graduate

studies. So hopefully as we embark upon this new year, students will have

a chance to rejoin their communities that so many of us love.

Yeah, and I think all the educators who I know are really keenly

aware of this and know that creating that sense of belonging and connection

and offering grace to students who are out of practice, who are

struggling, I'm struggling, all of us are to some degree. And I think

taking care in our approach with students is important

for all of us. So maybe, giving students grace is a two way

street, they provide their instructor with grace and... Yes. Grace is extended.

Yes, and honestly, I'm in like a day by day

kind of answer right now... Oh day by day. Wow. Oh yeah.

Day by day. And I think teaching always terrifies me. I don't know,

did you have the sense when you were a student

that your professors were nervous on the first day of school.

Some. Not just the first day though, the whole time. Are you talking

about me? No, not you. You are talking about me. Yeah, no, not you, not

you. Okay, well, I do feel that way. Nervous every class for the

whole semester. Yes, I think with some professors it's more clear.

But with others, it seems like we're just reeling. Yeah, it's interesting

because I love teaching more than anything, and I always feel...

I mean just like people love being a student, but there's this sense

of dread right before the semester starts, pandemic or not, it's like,

"Oh no, this big shift is about to come from

a time of hopefully break and rest into this, the gear of the

semester, and we're gonna meet all new people and there's all this unknown

stuff." That's exciting, but it's also terrifying. And

so yeah, all of that, and then you add in the stress and

all the unknowns with the pandemic, and it is a lot,

and it's what... That's the whole point of the university, is to gather,

to have class, to learn together, so that gives me life as much

as it also gives me anxiety. I just thought of the theme of

this episode sitting here. Oh oh. "How to survive the fall semester,

the spring semester." "How to survive the spring... " See it's so disorienting,

these are disorienting times. And also Jamil, you're not a student anymore.

What do you know? What do you know? I'm over here like are we in fall, are

we in spring? No, "How to survive the spring semester."

Yeah. Yes. And beyond. Do you have tips for faculty? I have tips for

students. Tips for faculty? I don't know, I mean truly offering grace to

students and checking in a lot about mental health, however that looks.

And because we know there's a documented mental health crisis among college

students, and we can have a big impact on that in our classrooms.

So the way that... One of the ways that I create community in

my class is by having us draw together

and draw a three minute soft portrait at the beginning of class.

It's a unique thing. It's a vulnerable thing. We share those pictures with

each other, and that shared kinda odd experience

sort of breaks the ice and creates a community space in the classroom.

And it's a ritual that we start with,

so I love that. Getting to know students.

Putting more attention on knowing students calling them by

their name, knowing something about them and really trying to create those

relationships is even more so important now than under normal

conditions, I guess. Yeah, and also one thing I'll say 'cause I'mma forget

this, 'cause it's the first day of school.

The spring semester does always give me some sense of hope because the

days get longer and we start out and I have a class that ends

at 4:40. When that class gets out, you know it's starting to get

dark. By the end of the semester it's gonna be dark for hours

after that class, and so the temperatures get warmer, the days get longer,

sun shines more. And so that for me,

I know the reward at the end of

the spring semester is summer time. A few things come to mind for

me, especially with this pandemic in mind. This pandemic for a lot of

people may expand their already existing inequities. Oh yes.

The first week of school the first thing I'm thinking about his textbooks.

Folks trying to afford the high price of text books. And I'm not

sure if I would tell you this story.

I got to a point where I was tired of buying textbooks.

It happened very quickly because textbooks can easily cost you $600 a semester.

You need a math code that's a $120.

You need code for a language, which may be 120 again.

Then you need four or five textbooks, next thing you know you're at $600

before the first week of school ends. Here are some hacks that I

have. Okay. For students that may be listening, about textbooks,

see if your bookstore that you're buying the textbook from, price matches

online, bookstores tend to have a higher pricing textbook than maybe Amazon,

Barnes & Noble. And some bookstores, ours do, sometimes it might actually

be all the time, but they price match, online services, so inquire, shop

around, see if you need the book in person with you

is an online edition okay. Is a older edition that may be cheaper,

extremely similar, 'cause sometimes you just change the cover or change

the rotation of chapter. So ask your faculty member, is older editions very

similar. See if the book is sitting in your public or your university

library. And it may be reserved. So sometimes libraries put books on reserve

that you can't check out for the day. You can only have it

for couple of hours. If that's the case,

if the book is on reserve, here me out everybody. Take the book

to the scanner. That's right. And sit there for 30 40 minutes,

scan the book. Your syllabus may tell you what chapters you need.

You may not need the whole book. You may need seven chapters.

I did that, I proceeded to print the chapters 'cause I needed it

in person. It was a lot cheaper to print 100 pages than it

was to buy the textbook. Also, I know our university does this,

I'm sure there's other services at other universities, other departments

that have libraries that you can check out a textbook for the semester,

and does your Dean of Students cover the cost of textbooks if you're

at... Those things are true and are university.

Coach at Center has a library or votes, he offers some limited resources

around textbook relief, I would say look into them, weigh your options when

you buy them. Yeah, that's great advice, that's great advice. I think often,

standard textbooks are not in libraries 'cause I feel like there's some

kind of deal between publishers and libraries, so that people have to buy

the book. Yeah, I think it depends on the course, like, if you're

taking an English class... That's right. Sure, this literature book is probably

available at your local library. Absolutely. If you're looking for a geometry

textbook? Maybe not, but it's always worth the look.

Always worth the look. Yeah, if you're talking about a $150 textbook and

you can scan it in 20 30 minutes, you just made a lot

of money. Oh yeah, I sure did and I actually printed it at

work, so I didn't even pay for the...

Of course you did. Yeah, I get creative, when you're in college,

you've got to get creative, you do. Somehow, this reminded me of the

story that I wanted to tell you from today,

which is not at all related to textbooks,

but in terms of sort of advice for students, or not even advice,

but let me just share this story with you and then we'll see what

you think. So I'm wearing an N95 mask,

teaching two classes in a row, 10 minutes in between them,

and teaching and public speaking, especially if you're a nervous person,

it's a very physical act, it's like exercise.

You're breathing hard and voice getting shaky, it's like a physical experience.

And you're wearing an N95 mask, it's super hard to breathe, and when

you are nervous, it is really difficult, and then your nose is running,

it's like a whole thing, it's very unpleasant.

But as you know, I always come out in all my classes

on the first day, and coming out is...

Even though I've done it so many times and I'm like out in

all of these circumstances, it's still quite terrifying and

very vulnerable, and I try to be cool about it,

but I just have a visceral response where

it makes me sweaty, it makes my voice shaky, it makes it hard

to breathe, and I'm still talking and trying to do this.

And I do it because it's so important to have that representation and

it's important that folks know and to see that modeled, etcetera, etcetera.

So I'm doing that today in my first class,

and then I was legitimately having a hard time breathing, I couldn't really

talk anymore when I was done with that. And again, I'm trying to

play it cool, but it's not that cool. And then I think I

had them, I was like, "Just read the first page of the syllabus

and then I wanna talk to you about something else."

Or whatever, I just needed... I had to buy myself like 30 seconds

to breathe. So anyway, I was like, "Oh my God, this

was really harder than usual today." And then after class, I had a

student who came up and said, "Hey, I'm a part of the community,

and I just wanna thank you for coming out and for

representing, and that just means so much to me, I really appreciate it."

And them saying that was so validating for me, because sometimes I'm like,

I'm doing this, I know that it matters,

but I don't always hear that from people, and especially on today when

it felt hard to have somebody immediately say like... To thank me for

doing that, it made doing that in the second class,

so much easier and more meaningful for me.

It was a similar experience of vulnerability, visceral discomfort, all that

stuff, but it felt easier for me to do.

And that just meant so much. And I think sometimes the students don't

necessarily know how much hearing things like that from them

makes a difference in our lives, to be perfectly honest.

Yeah, representation of the classroom is super important,

no matter how hard that may be at times.

Yeah. Yeah. And I remember... I don't know, I just... I'm thinking back

many years ago to being a college student, and

I didn't have a sense of my professors as vulnerable

human beings or as folks who might be nervous or people...

I was so focused really on my own experience

that it wouldn't have occurred to me that they might need something from

me, or that something I might say could impact their life,

like that never occurred to me. Oh, that always occurred to me.

Of course it did. You know, because we're all people here.

I don't know, I took a lot of

thinking and commitment with building relationships beyond just my peers.

Yeah, and of course, it's different, I mean different professors, different

students are different, and some of them you may try to connect with

and then they don't reciprocate that. Been there, been there, but I tend

to be the student where like, you just gotta love me,

you just gotta love me. I have to, yeah. Yeah.

That's actually a good tip for students to build relationships beyond the

classroom with their faculty, especially in times in which you feel like

you're struggling, 'cause it's been... I can think about

times in college where I would have dropped out,

but I would have made my professors disappointed or they would have been

sad to see me leave, and so it kinda made me wanna stay

if people were sad to see me leave.

Right, because you know, or even come to class, it's like,

"Oh no, I can't disappoint this person." So that's just enough to get

you... Just enough to get you there. Just good enough to get you there,

to get you in the door, yeah. Right. And I think maybe that's

one takeaway is that, the ways that we can extend

kindness, care, attention to other people right now, that maybe... Like

folks, some folks are hanging on by a thread.

Yeah, some people are barely there and I've been there.

Yeah, and so we can... We can take the edge off

for folks and help try to give people enough foundation that

we can rebuild during this really... A time that's tough for a lot

of people in a lot of ways. Yeah, so as students may be

struggling 'cause especially for second year, first year students,

maybe this is their first time learning in a pandemic... So the circumstances

are a little different, all our universities are operating a little different,

so thinking of tips of how they're navigating this new landscape that we're

all navigating together I have some thoughts. Oh, let's hear it.

Virtual learning. Let's start there. Okay. From a student perspective, don't

do it in bed. Whoo, I... Oh. Yes, don't do it in bed. Why?

'Cause you will fall back asleep, you're not paying attention, you're too

comfy, you're too cozy. I can see a lot of students,

especially if you're allowed to have your camera off and there'd be a

lot of reasons of why you may have your camera off,

but if you're in bed, you're not learning. You're not paying attention.

I would recommend finding a regular spot that you go to all the

time, whether it's outside of your residence hall, outside of your home,

in the library, in a quiet cafe. Listen, somewhere quiet that you can

actually sit your laptop down and have a notebook next to you,

I recommend. I recommend having your camera on if you can,

if that's the kind of format your faculty is having, because you'll be

more engaged. But if it's not a lecture, I recommend

talking more than you would in in person learning. I find that virtual

learning, it's hard to feel like you're in a classroom, like you're in a

space with other people because you're online, it feels a little disconnecting.

So sometimes over interacting can help make you learn more and make you

feel more involved. Also, I think this is a time where you should

be over communicating to your professor, like going to office hours,

trying to be in the mindset of being a college student as often

as possible, and when those issues arise, it's a pandemic, you get sick,

tell your professors. Yep. Yep. You're having to work more because there's

a working shortage at your job, tell your professor. You can't... There's

a a essay deadline coming up, it's not looking clear that you can't hit

it, tell your professor. Over and over communicate and see if there is

some type of something and some type of relief you can get there.

That's what I'm thinking first, virtual learning. Yeah, I talked to my classes

today about, "Look, there's a lot of unexpected stuff that might go on,

whether that's illness related or otherwise, and what you cannot do is just

ghost, because if I don't see you, I don't hear from you for

a month at a time, I don't know what's going on with you."

And what can you do? Yeah, and I don't know how to support

you or accommodate, and sometimes just doing the communicating to say like,

"Hey, I got a lot going on right now,

I wanna make sure I'm telling you about this, I'm gonna miss class

next week, but I'm gonna do this and this and this,"

that accountability piece can make a difference in you,

'cause that's such a bad feeling when you fall behind

and you're out of touch with the class and with the professor,

it can be hard to climb back from that. So I would say

also yes, absolutely, communicate anything that's going on

with your faculty member, and also to reach out to the dean of

students or other support services on campuses to support you in other ways.

And you know what, I'm gonna extend this conversation to faculty,

faculty, when they're teaching in a virtual space.

I would say if professors are not equipped with technology, this is the

time to get better equipped, they have IT on speed dial. That's right. I

have been... When I was in virtual learning, I can remember

classes being very delayed because of not knowing how to work different

software, so hopefully faculty can increase some of their technical abilities,

and I also think that you have to find new ways of being

engaging with your students, they're no longer in the classroom standing

in front of you, and even that can be difficult in in person

learning, engaging with students and getting feedback and getting students

to talk, even sometimes breakout rooms with students are bone quiet in virtual

learning. I know. Sometimes I visited a breakout room and they... And it's

awkward. And I'm like, "Well, what's going on here?" And they're like,

"Oh, we didn't feel like talking," I'm like, "Well, sorry... " Well...

Yeah. "That's what we're doing right now, so let's get it together."

Do you find any particular methods work for you, or haven't worked?

Honestly, I really don't like teaching online, which is why I'm not doing

it right now. So I know that my strengths as a teacher are

in person in the classroom. That said like you... The same things, of

course you have to do online and in person and that is to

create connection, to create a sense of belonging, to make it...

Students are gonna learn better if they wanna be there, and that's true

no matter the setting. So what ways can... How can you foster

a sense of belonging, connection, community, and how can you do that online?

And I think depending on how big your class is, there are a

lot of different ways to do it, and there are folks who are

experts in how to teach well online, but

it's not... I don't find it easy, and I prefer a synchronous online

class for the same reason, like if we're all gathering at the same

time and we can see each other. I'd give, I'm like very...

When I teach online classes, I record videos of myself saying "Hi"

to everybody, talking about the class, and I send it out before the

semester starts. I do a lot of FaceTime

because I want them to have a sense of me as a person

and to start to create a connection with me as a teacher.

It's hard for me though, sometimes I meet students and I'm like,

"You were in my class, it was online, you always had your camera

off, you never spoke, and I don't really have a sense that I

know you," like years later. And so that's the part about online learning

that, you did everything you're supposed to do for that class,

and I don't really have a sense of you. And then I'm glad

that you have a sense of me but

part of... Teaching is relational, it's about relationships.

And I think it's a struggle for me

to do that online. And I admire my classmates especially...

My classmates, My teaching... My colleagues, that's what I'll call them,

right? I admire those who can teach online well,

and there's certainly folks who do a good job at that.

Yeah, and I hopefully know students are going to office hours.

I always say office hours is where the magic happens, 'cause it does.

Just when a person can put a name to a face means all

the difference. And I'm thinking about faculty in particular. I know faculty

tend to operate in two different ways. Well, listen, we're going here today.

We're going here. Okay, alright, alright, alright. You know we're here,

we're talking... We're gonna go there. Okay. Some faculty operate with the

aspect of, I'm an educator. I'm here to touch student lives,

I'm here to prepare them for their next step. I am here to

build relationships with them. I am here to be a positive influence,

a mentor, a role model, and the list goes on. Some faculty, this is a space

that you have paid for, that you are... I'm gonna give you educational information,

you receive that, and everything in between is kind of your job.

And so I think as a student, sometimes it's hard to navigate both

of those lanes especially when a faculty don't view their self as an

educator, 'cause not every faculty view themselves as a educator. Yeah,

certainly some folks see themselves more as scholars

or researchers. I provide the materials, it's their job to navigate and

show up. Right. And I think sometimes we as teachers forget

how it is for students to have to navigate

five different... Not just five different teachers, there's human beings

with their different styles and preferences and all of that but also five

different... You're a different person, basically. Maybe not you, Jamil,

'cause you're 100% Jamil. But you're often a different person in each classroom.

You're asked, you're invited to be a different kind of person depending

on that classroom space. And also the way people use online learning management

systems is completely different. So the way that my Blackboard site looks

is different from somebody else's. Yes. Yes, I always call that the politics

of college. It already feels like. It feels like you're entering these different

spaces, and it can even be like you're re taking the same class,

but it's different faculty and it's like a whole different experience.

The way they teach, what they expect of you, how you are allowed

to show up, what is encouraged, what is not encouraged,

everything. Can you have your laptop out? Is like phones allowed? Are they

not? Can you speak to your peer casually? Are you not allowed to

speak? Is that rude? Are you formal? Are you informal? Some people are

serious, "I'm Doctor, so and so." Some people are like, "Just call me,

Fred. I had a great time last night." Right. "Can I eat in

this class? Can I... " Yeah. So different. And to navigate

five, six different environments, while navigating the rest of the university

experience, while navigating work and life. And then you add a pandemic,

can be so difficult for students to deal with.

Yeah, especially in these first few weeks of the semester because all of

it's new. And I have some students now who... They've been... They took

a year, a year and a half off of school. And now they're

coming back. They're coming back, also pandemic, also all the stuff,

so it's... That's a good point. Some folks took a year off,

took two years off. Yes. Yes, yes. Or maybe even going back to

school for the very first time in a long time because,

job shortages, maybe they're changing fields. The pandemic has made certain

workforces pretty hard to work in. Retail, customer service jobs, healthcare

jobs. Education. Yeah, education. People are leaving fields. So, we maybe

even looking at a new population of students all together. Well,

you know what, I have thoughts for students that are jumping back into school

and I have some thoughts. Your next podcast is gonna be called, "I

have thoughts." "I have thoughts." Shout out to Allison because she said

it during a meeting, "Jamil's tagline is, "I have thoughts."

I just always have thoughts, that's why you know we have a podcast.

You do, you have more thoughts than I do. That's for sure.

They just come to me. So do you remember I used to be

an academic success peer mentor, I believe they called them. Yep. Where

you basically try to set students up to success throughout their academics.

You work on time management, scheduling, all these different

skills students need to succeed. Hear what I'm thinking, alright,

we need to have time management down packed especially in a pandemic,

we need a really good calendar, we need a good routine,

a good schedule. We need to to do Jamil's textbook hack,

'cause that's a good idea. We need to also talk to all our

professors individually. Get a feel for the class.

Is there some breathing room? How late work works.

That kind of stuff. As a student, I always remember too looking at

my syllabus. And as a faculty, you may hate this. I probably will. I

used to look at my syllabus and go, is this important?

I would look at the grading, 'cause you know certain things take so

much time. I do hate this, I do. I wish you wouldn't... It's true. Certain

things take so much time but are not worth many points.

And if you don't have a lot of time, or...

I know that this is true, and at the same time...

Yeah, how do you go with that? It makes me...

I don't know. Everything that's in a class,

if it's well designed, it's there for a reason, and it matters.

I'm really more of a holistic grader than points. You can look at

somebody and say, "Well, this is worth five points and this is worth

50," so the 50 point thing is so much more important,

I must spend more time on that. Now, that will likely take more

time anyway, but it's possible that that five point thing

is central to your learning and your experience in the class.

So I... Whatever, I did that as a student too.

But it also makes me think of capitalism and it's like,

"Well, if something costs less, it's not... This isn't important.". And

more... And that really kinda feels at times as a student.

Like, "I'm doing this to get a point, I'm doing this to get

a grade," or like... I'm thinking back, like I'm reflecting. And I can

think of every semester, these classes were really important and really

learning and educational, and other classes, I'm there because it's a requirement.

And even the content felt like I was there to achieve X,

Y and Z points. And I'm thinking about taking classes all the same

time that your focus is being shared and dragged in different directions.

Yeah. If the only class you can have this week,

these little blog posts maybe, for example, that are worth very small amount

of points, and then boom, 1.30 of your grade in this class and

this other class, this huge research paper. I'm thinking back to prioritizing

as a student, I'm gonna have to give this my weight and not

this other thing. And I think about privilege,

when you're able to sit in every one of your classes and fully

engage and fully do the class to its capacity, having the privilege to

do that, 'cause I often see students don't typically have that privilege.

Yeah. That certainly... I'm kind of an idealist, I guess, in that way.

But I also think that sometimes... You're probably gonna hate this.

Whoa. Yeah. So let's say that there's a difference between someone who's

working all these jobs and doing all this stuff,

and trying to juggle five classes. So there's that person

who is really truly strapped for time and perhaps over committed

out of necessity. And then there are other folks who

could manage their time differently. Yes. And could get more things done.

And without sacrificing rest, without sacrificing a social life... Money.

Money, or whatever. It's like, "How much time are you spending looking at

your phone?" Yes. And I agree. I think...

That's why in the beginning of the semesters, I always recommend faculty

additional tips. I recommend checking into the offices

in your University that support students. So if you have a Academic access

center, or maybe it's called something different, maybe it's a tutoring

centre, going to tutoring in the beginning of the semester, even when you

don't believe you need it can really help set the groundwork for you

as a student, help you grow from semester to semester 'cause you're supposed

to showcase some type of growth, I believe in my mind.

Sitting down with a person, maybe a friend, maybe a professional, and really

dedicating time. Because you're supposed to put a certain amount of hours

into credits. If you're taking five classes, you should be giving,

if you can, in the perfect world, 20 25 hours to this course

work, to studying, to reading, to absorbing the work outside of going to

class. University, all sort of learning happens outside of the classroom.

And so, I think doing those things and even maybe going to counselling services,

going to a wellness center and working on your spiritual and mental health

while you're doing these things can really set the ground work to having

a really successful semester. Yeah, and having good systems in place.

Like you're saying with setting yourself up for success so that...

You have good days, bad days, good weeks, bad weeks, but if your

overall system is set up to support you as a student,

you know that you sit in this chair

and you do this class, and you show up to

your tutoring session, that's when you get this done,

you have those regular systems in place to support you, that way,

you don't have to reinvent everything week to week and feel like you're

behind. And now, beginning of the semester is the time to set up

those systems. Yeah. I'm thinking back to my first semester. I had a

system. When I mean... Did you? Oh, I had a system system,

and listen, that was a great system. Do you know how freshman don't

pick their schedules their first semester? Well, at our university, they

don't. You get handed a schedule. Well, I had

the early classes, first year is typically get these super early classes,

like 7:45, this bright and early sunshine. Brutal, brutal. So I would have

and then I will go to the library. Our library at our university

closes at 11 at the time. I would stay till 11.

I would do my course work for the week, I would do my

readings, I would do tutoring, I would do study groups, all types of

stuff. And then at 11 o'clock, my social life begins.

And then at 2:30, 3:00 AM, we were starting this all over.

Is this a good system? And it worked. It was a good system. You

know, I don't know. I don't know. Personally, I use schedule.

That works for you. Sleep more than Jamil, please. It worked great for me.

I should have kept that going. No, no. You need to sleep more.

I mean now you do. Now I do. It worked at the time.

Yeah, it's a struggle though. Honestly, this is something I'm constantly

working on, because it's really... There's so many distractions

in life and also digitally, it's tough to do. So if you know

someone who seems to be good at this, see if they'll show you

their system for how do you organize your life, how do you organize

your days, how are you managing and implement some of those practices?

Now that I'm thinking about it, I stopped that schedule 'cause I started

working. And I could only imagine going to school and working in a

pandemic. How challenging that may be. Yeah, because being a student,

really, it feels like a job. Oh, it is a job.

It is a job. Yeah. Alright, new season, new semester. Yeah. We have

some very interesting episodes for y'all. We do.

And we are gonna be asking you all to contribute in some ways

to our future episodes. Yes, it's about time you all joined the conversation.

Yes, so be on the lookout. We'll share more as we go,

but be on the lookout for calls to answer questions, to ask questions

for our guests to suggest podcast topics in the future, and to contribute

your voice, your experience to our conversation. So we will be asking,

so be prepared to chime in. And you know, I'm hoping to be

flooded with responses that we can maybe air, we can talk about.

We can hear what you all want to talk about. Yeah.

Yeah. Put that in mind. Holla at us on social media.

A Diversity in Higher Ed

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Alright, Jamil. I think that will do it. We'll see you next week.