Anna Bain is sophomore at MU majoring in journalism. She is an opinion columnist who writes about student issues.
When a college professor goes through the syllabus on the very first day of class, most will explain when and how their students can reach them. Most teachers I’ve had will say they are reachable by email and will respond within 24 hours during the week, but are unavailable on weekends.
Students are often not allowed the same boundaries.
Reliance on technology in higher education has blurred boundaries between the academic and personal lives of students. Students need to learn how to set boundaries between these aspects of their lives and professors need to be aware of the boundaries they may be crossing.
It’s not uncommon for professors to enforce due dates over the weekend. I have a professor who waits until Friday afternoon to assign multiple hours of homework due on Saturday and Sunday with no warnings or reminders. Most students have projects, assignments or exams due Sunday at midnight, or at various other times during the weekend.
Not only is assigning homework on weekends crossing a boundary into students’ personal lives, but, for some, it also crosses into their spiritual lives. Many people have religious obligations during the weekend, and it is ridiculous for professors to expect students to neglect those in favor of their classwork.
Before the transition to remote work, educators could only assign so much work to students because they would be responsible for grading it all. Now that professors can assign automatically graded assignments, instructors might not realize the weight of work they are putting on their students.
Additionally, when students have until Sunday at midnight to complete an assignment, most will wait until the last minute because they are utilizing the weekends to engage socially. Though it may not be the best strategy, many college students procrastinate, and professors know that. If a student stays up into the late hours of the night on Sunday, they have no time to recharge for the coming week. This leaves students perpetually exhausted.
Though professors should not expect students to work on the weekends, students can set their own boundaries when scheduling out their work. Even if an assignment is due on Sunday at midnight, students do not have to wait until then to do it. As an avid procrastinator myself, I have found it far less stress-inducing to do my weekend homework on Friday afternoons. That way, I can focus on things not related to school and have time to recharge.
Another way students can uphold their boundaries is by reserving times of the day to not do anything school-related. For me, dinnertime is sacred. My roommate and I eat dinner and watch a show without any work. I don’t even look at my phone during this time. There are a lot of different things students can do to take some time for themselves. They can reserve time to go to the gym, read a book or do anything else that gives their brains a break. Taking breaks has numerous benefits like improved memory, boosted energy and reduced stress.
The transition to remote work triggered in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed us to continue with our academic progress, but, now that things are somewhat normal, we need to reevaluate our relationship to these procedures in our daily life, and if it is still serving us in the best way possible.
Professors need to do their part, as well. Expecting students to complete schoolwork on the weekends is unfair, as professors are not expected to do the same. Educators should also be aware of how much work they assign that they don’t have to grade. It can be easy to underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete an assignment if you do not have to grade it.
A bit of advice for everyone: Set boundaries, take care of yourself and prioritize your mental health.
Edited by Ezra Bitterman | ebitterman@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Grace Locke and Jacob Richey
