Final answer:
Kathleen Taylor needs to balance academic goals, personal preferences, and well-being when planning her spring semester schedule at Roanoke College. She should use a college schedule planner, consider online class options, and seek advice to create a flexible and sustainable schedule.
Step-by-step explanation:
Kathleen Taylor, a freshman at Roanoke College, is in the process of planning her schedule for the upcoming spring semester. The ability to effectively plan an academic schedule requires careful consideration of course availability, personal preferences, and academic goals. As Max Vega, a first-year adviser, suggests, it's important to approach college scheduling as one would plan an adventure at an amusement park: with a map and a backup plan. Given the changes in learning modalities due to the pandemic, with many classes moving online, students like Kathleen may need to adapt their preferences to the available mode of instruction.Kathleen must also consider the impact of external factors such as work hours, as seen in the anecdote about Renada G., a junior who had to balance her job and academics. This balancing act can affect mental health, as Renada's story indicates. Therefore, Kathleen should strive for a schedule that is not only academically fulfilling but also sustainable in the long term, considering the potential for stress and burnout.To conclude, Kathleen's schedule planning should prioritize course requirements, preferred learning styles, and personal well-being. She should utilize resources like a college schedule planner and the counsel of academic advisers to ensure she can manage her time effectively, set realistic goals, and have contingency plans should her preferred classes be unavailable.