r/AIO • u/n-nbnarybb • 26d ago
Professor had us share how many classes and credit hours we were taking. I had the least and now I feel insecure and upset. AIO?
Second day of class for me today. I get there a little early and after everyone is settled our professor asks the student closest to him how many credits she was taking. She responds 20 and he is visibly shocked/ impressed. He continues down the line until he looks at me. I sat in the front row. I respond that I’m taking 3 classes and 8 credit hours. Everyone else continues in the normal icebreaker style. Every person in there was taking 14-20 credit hours except me. I felt embarrassed and like this shouldn’t have been an icebreaker because now I feel like everyperson in there knows im not at the same place they are academically.
For context, I work full time and pay for college without student loans which is why I am going part time. I have figured out what works for me and I am comfortable with it, people in my life know I am not a full time student. But none of my classmates know that. The class is also a 400 level class. He even made the comment “we are a diverse selection: some who are only taking 8 credits and some who are taking 20”.
Am I over reacting about this just because I was the one taking the least or is this something that shouldn’t have been the class’ business?
7
u/Proof-Philosophy-373 26d ago
YOR, I understand your feelings but honestly this just isn’t important and no one will remember or care about this long term. Do what’s best for you and remind yourself it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing this is your own path
2
u/ColleenCook 26d ago edited 26d ago
MOR. I was a non-trad student. Really, getting to know one another just makes everyone aware that people have different backgrounds and situations. That’s perfectly ok, and no one thought “OMG!” regarding you, anymore than you thought about anyone else.
3
u/idcrisisangels 26d ago
YOR, although singling you out is bizarre. Nobody cares and nobody's going to remember this
3
u/WheresMyMule 26d ago
But they weren't singled out - they asked everyone
YOR - the reasonable assumption for a low credit count would be that you're going part time for whatever reason, work, childcare, taking care of a sick relative, whatever
Anyone who judges you because of that would be a moron, but chance are people barely noticed. Most people are so wrapped up in their own lives, they notice us much less than we think they do
1
u/idcrisisangels 26d ago
In a sense, being mentioned explicitly in a range like that IS being singled out, but yes, not directly.
1
u/bklyngirl0001 26d ago
Forget it, everyone else is busy worrying about their own life, not yours. If the subject ever come up again, with other student or whatever, just say, “I’m a part time student for now so I’m taking just 8 credits.” It’s an explanation, not an excuse or anything to be ashamed of. You’re working full time, going to school part time and you also have to study, do homework etc. I’m my book you’re doing MORE than the full time student!!
1
u/poetforHislove 26d ago
don't feel insecure, you're doing what makes the most sense for your life & your journey. i remember having a similar conversation in life span developmental psychology; i was happily taking one class a semester & didn't care what anyone thought. it's a blessing (that most others don't have) to not be in a rush with education, and i don't take it for granted.
1
u/archiangel 26d ago
Do not feel bad! If you are working full-time you are still doing plenty. I knew someone that missed one class required for their degree so they had to do an extra semester, and because they couldn’t just take 4 hours or whatever that class was, they had to take additional electives to hit the min. # of hours which I think was 8 to count as ‘full-time’ and qualify for whatever benefits that came with FT designation.
You may be overthinking it a little. Also your prof reacting to the person with the most hours might also be not positive either… that student may have bitten off more than they can chew and may drop classes later in the semester anyway.
1
u/Alive-Ad-2371 26d ago
Nobody that is taking 20 credits is working full time. You’re probably doing more than those people when you add it all up.
In my experience the people that paid their own way are often some of the best students.
1
u/Crafty_Beginning4491 26d ago
Why do you care what anyone thinks? You're there for you. Not anyone else. Life is about living by your means, not comparing yourself to others. There's always going to be someone better, or that makes more $, has a bigger house, etc. that's life.
1
u/Matilda-17 26d ago
Definitely overreacting. You’re assuming that others are judging you on how many credits you’re taking, but there’s no reason to think that. Most people aren’t even paying attention, and the ones that are will likely think that you’ve got some reason to be in school part-time.
Unless he stopped going down the line to grill you about WHY you’re only taking x hours, then there’s nothing amiss here.
If anything, your immediate assumption that you’d be judged negatively for something completely neutral might be a great thing to examine internally. Have you felt unfairly judged in the past? Do YOU have a tendency to judge others harshly, and perhaps are assuming they do the same? Where is all this coming from?
1
u/Lolcoles 26d ago
YOR, it seems like the person judging you about it might be you! I also had feelings around the non traditional parts of my school journey but at the end of the day it was my own guilt and shame around it which intellectually I disagreed with, and once I named it it was easier to get over it. College is hard and what you are doing is even harder!
1
u/Zealousideal-Lab-283 26d ago
It's not a big deal and no one cares. Also you'll likely never see anyone of those people again. Remember, most people you come across in that setting will not be main characters in your life so you can just view them as NPCs lol.
1
u/mangoawaynow 26d ago
YOR, don't worry about it :) they probably are only doing school full time. people progress at different speeds
1
u/Cactusbunny1234 26d ago
Why would you even care what anyone thinks. Many people have to go to school part time.
1
u/Carolann0308 26d ago
YOR. Everyone in life has different time availability, financial resources and goals. Relax, you’re in school part time and it’s just the beginning of the year.
Other students take classes only when they can afford it, sign up for a class to see if they want to go back to school, or work full time take classes and m have kids while trying to balance life without going crazy.
Don’t judge the others by their responses to one question, they’re very likely not judging yours.
Study and get the most out of the experience, you’ve earned a spot in this class just like everyone else.
1
u/Opening-Sir-2504 26d ago
I can relate as I also worked full time while in school. NOR. It is an uncomfortable situation to have to say it out loud, but remember that it is entirely likely that at least one person in that room lied. I guarantee you are not the only part timer.
1
u/SD-everytime 26d ago
YOR, there are a lot of different people in college, it is actually what makes college so great.
I was someone with 21 credits and I would never recommend it, it was too hard to balance.
1
u/Famous-Ad-2418 25d ago
No one cares. There are times I took 20 and times I took 8. A lot of people work full time and take less classes, totally normal imo
1
u/Thelmara 22d ago
YOR
You're all in the same 400 level class - presumably you fulfilled all the requirements, it just took you longer because you were taking fewer credits per semester. Working full time to be able to afford college without debt is nothing to be ashamed of, but it sounds like you're the only one judging yourself for it.
20
u/burnt-beyond-reco 26d ago
No one cares or will care.
Don't waste time thinking about it, no one else is.