Lyon College Blog

If I had to pick one thing that I don’t like about college, it would be having to take finals.  As much as I look forward to Christmas and summer break, I sometimes dread the approach of both because it reminds me that final exams lie in the near future. Some of my classmates may not detest finals to the degree that I do, but then again, they probably don’t procrastinate like I do, either. I have a tendency to put things off…when it comes to papers, lab reports, or final projects, I always think, “Oh, I’ll just work on it tomorrow.” Before I know it, all those “tomorrows” are gone, and it’s time to turn in all that stuff AND take final exams!

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One of the things you first hear about Lyon when you first start looking at it is its “Honor Code”. I know the first time I heard about it, I really didn’t understand it, even as I signed it at matriculation. However, as most students do, I found that it actually does surround us everyday here at Lyon. The first time I really experienced it was the first open format Biology exam I took. I could have never imagined just being able to take a test basically whenever I felt like it (within about a 3 day span) and not even had a professor there to watch what I was doing. You may not believe but you never really feel tempted to cheat. It’s really a respect thing in that I really would feel like I was letting the professor down by not putting in the same amount of work to learn the material that he did teaching it to us by just using my book or notes. It is hard to explain it until you experience it though, but it’s just another part of Lyon that really makes a difference in the relationships you build with your proffessors. Of course from time to time there are sometimes when some get caught up in the stress of school and are a bit dishonest in their work, and this is dealt with by the Honor Council.

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I guess, I would if I had to go to the Bahamas and chill for two weeks and earn some credit hours for it, lol. Seriously though, the Nichols Program is a great way to get out and see the world. We’re not talking about joining the Navy either. Each year, several professors sponsor a trip through an endowed program known as Nichols. A couple on slate for this year are a trip to the Bahamas to sail throughout many of the islands and study marine biology or go to Greece to study the culture both modern and ancient. Of course it’s a summer trip so it’s not all business. There’s plenty of time to relax and check out the awesome scenery or work on the tan (if you’re into that sorta thing). The great thing is that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars doing it. The programs are really affordable due to the endowment. It can also go towards you studying abroad in places like Spain, France, or England to name a few if you’re interested in actually leaving town for a semester. Lyon has deals worked out with several sister institutions around the world so you can experience a different culture for long term. Either way, you can expect to have an amazing experience you may not get to have anywhere else.

At Lyon, a huge part of the liberal arts education focuses around the core curriculum.  Sometimes taking these classes may seem pointless and leave you thinking, “If I’m a biology major, why the heck do I need to take a music class?” But seriously, the core curriculum is a good thing.  By taking part in religion, history, foreign language, writing, natural science, and mathematics courses, students gain exposure to a wide array of topics.  Possessing a solid background in these areas helps Lyon students become well-rounded and knowledgeable at many different levels.  Often, a particular core requirement class will spark a student’s interest in that area, leading them to pursue either a minor or concentration in that particular course of study.  So if you find yourself grumbling about having to sit through some class that you think you have no interest in, address the subject with an open mind and willingness to learn; you might just be surprised at the results!

One of the key elements of a successful college career is having good time management skills.  As you progress through college, the courseload and level of responsibilities seem to continually increase.  It becomes extremely important to make good use of your time.  In Core 100 class during my freshman year, we kept a log for one week and recorded what we did on an houly basis.  This activity was really an eye-opener for me.  While I was spending a sufficient amount of time studying, there were many instances throughout the week in which my time was not used productively.  Over the past two years, I have made significant improvements in managing my time.  I still remain as one of the world’s worst procrastinators and have learned that sometimes, it’s better to just get the hard, most difficult task out of the way first.  In general, you will find that often there’s simply not enough time to do everything that you want to and have to do.  It becomes necessary to do the most important thing first and complete other tasks as time allows.  However, it’s also necessary to set aside time for yourself, whether that’s time spent working out, walking, watching TV, shopping, reading, or visiting with friends.  Because trust me, you’ll go crazy if you study all the time!

The only bad thing about beginning a new semester is having to shell out the big bucks to buy books.  I’ve never quite understood why textbooks were so expensive–after all, aren’t they just covers with a bunch of pages stuck in-between?  When it comes to buying books, I have two bits of advice.  First, try to find a fellow student who has already taken the class and has the particular book that you’re interested in.  Make a deal–it’s just about guaranteed that their price will be far lower than what you might encounter in the bookstore.  Secondly, try to buy used books from the bookstore, if at all possible.  Hit the bookstore as soon as you return from summer or Christmas break, while there’s still used books available for purchase.  On a different note, we have a pretty awesome bookstore here at Lyon.  It has practically everything you can imagine.  School supplies, college logo apparel, greeting cards, cool knick-knacks, food items, and books (of course) are stocked in abundance in the bookstore.  And if you need some help finding something, Sandy Michael and the rest of the bookstore staff are more than willing to help!

It’s funny how, throughout life, we learn and grow the most during difficult and trying situations.  In a sense, this same principle can be applied to college course work.  Everyone has classes that, at times, can seem impossible–for me, it was organic chemistry.  Sometimes the material just doesn’t click, or the sheer volume of the material to be learned is unimaginable.  Hours are spent reading over the notes, rewriting notes, and then studying these notes again.  But when all is said and done, you look back and realize just how much you’ve learned.  In addition to possessing a firm grasp of the material, you realize that your work ethic, determination, and self-discipline was also enhanced through this experience.  If you are facing a difficult class, look at it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.  Work as hard as possible, ask for help–I guarantee that you’ll be successful.

For many science majors, the Derby Center has become a second home.  Between all the time spent on lectures, labs, tests, and lab reports, it sometimes seems like there is no escape from “The Derb.”  The Derby Center provides a quiet place to study, which can be extrememly beneficial in the evenings when noise levels are on the rise in the dorms.  Study rooms are located on every floor, and many students often use the lecture halls and seminar rooms for study areas as well.  If you’re still studying in Derby during the early morning hours, be on the watch for the ghost of one of the “Chapel Children”, who has been spotted on the Chemistry Floor outside of Dr. Hutton’s office…  However, to ease your mind, the security guards make their rounds about 10pm every night and lock the interior doors of Derby, leaving you feeling same and secure in your study room.

Whew! Class scheduling can be stressful this time of year with finals just around the corner, but it’s definately made a lot easier having an advisor who knows you really well and is almost always available for a chat. That’s really the great thing about our professors is that they are almost always available and always happy to sit down for a conversation and not just about acedemics but whatever. Anyway, needless to say, class signup went well, and it was definately nice signing up for 14 hours for this next semester after 3 years of heavy courseloads with lots of labs. Nice to know all that hard work actually did pay off for a smooth senior year!