A Quarter for Your Thoughts: Awaiting College Move-in on the Quarter System

“When do you move into college?” Every time I am asked that question and I reply with “early September,” I get the same face of confusion and have to explain what the quarter system is. As an incoming freshman at Northwestern University, I begin school in mid-September and end in mid-June in contrast to starting in early August and ending late May like most semester-based schools. Along with Northwestern, other schools on the quarter system include Dartmouth, University of California, Los Angeles, Stanford, and University of Chicago. The quarter system organizes the academic year into three 10-week terms, while the semester system has two 15-week terms. 

There are several reasons to love or hate the system. An obvious con, especially for incoming freshmen excited to start college, is the delayed start I currently face. However, the quarter system allows students to take more classes, leading students to more easily switch majors, or even triple major. Because there are less classes per quarter, students can also focus deeper on each subject during the quarter.

Hannah Otness (right) and friend Jillian Moore (left) celebrate game day at NU.  

“I enjoy the opportunity to select classes three times a year, which allows me to explore a wider range of subjects than is possible in a semester system,” Hannah Otness, a Northwestern junior, said. “The flexibility makes it easier for NU students, including myself, to double major or add a minor or certificate, all of which are super common at Northwestern.” Hannah graduated from Memorial High School in 2023.

The quarter system also offers more frequent, shorter breaks rather than fewer, longer breaks like the semester system. Watching all of my friends already move into their college dorms while I am still here in Houston has been a challenge. But I have tried to take advantage of this extra time at home. 

In case you find yourself in a similar situation to me, here are a few things I have done this summer alone to avoid FOMO.

Deep clean your room.

Considering my room has been where I spend most of my time, it is imperative that I feel at peace there. You don’t realize how crucial being surrounded by a mess is until you clean, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off of you.

Alden's dog, Lovie, sits with her current favorite reads.

Read.

I have always been a reader but this summer I have significantly increased my reading speed and frequency with so much time on my hands. When I have been on my phone for too long my head starts to hurt, I switch focus over to a book. I recently finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, a retelling of the Trojan War as told from the perspective of Patroclus. One of my favorite reads that is perfect for the fall and back-to-school transition is If We Were Villains by M.L Rio. If We Were Villains is a murder mystery surrounding Oliver Marks, a former actor at a fictional Shakespeare conservatory. (Looking for book recs? Check out Buzz Reads.)

Get a head start on packing for school.

It’s hard not to feel unproductive and behind on school preparations when everyone your age has already moved in. Starting to organize my things before packing has made me feel more prepared than staring at unopened boxes of dorm supplies.

Last school year, Otness participated in a study abroad program that ended about a month before fall quarter starts. “Since I got home, I’ve been using my time to complete online courses, like a Microsoft Excel certification, and I also plan to spend a week moving into my apartment and getting settled before classes begin,” she said. 

Take yourself on a date.

My favorite activity to do alone involves coffee, shopping, and driving. Driving to the bookstore with a coffee in hand and listening to a podcast or seasonal playlist is my ideal day (bonus points if it is raining). After my friends had left for school, I saw that there is no reason not to do my favorite activities alone. So, I get in my car, go get coffee, and set up reading with a new book.

Take up a new craft.

Every time I see a craft online, I always think, “I bet I could do that too.” I have had a plethora of different arts and crafts projects from painting banners to sewing and embroidery. Teaching myself how to embroider and sew has kept me entertained for hours on end this summer.

Start a new show.

I seem to have a never-ending list of shows that I mean to watch with no time for them. A couple shows I have watched this summer are Derry Girls on Netflix (a coming-of-age comedy of girls set in Derry, Northern Ireland) and One Tree Hill on Hulu (an early 2000s teen drama set in a small North Carolina town with two estranged half-brothers who carry on very different lives).

Bake something.

I cannot cook for the life of me, but I absolutely love to bake. Baking always gives me a sense of accomplishment and an obvious sweet reward. My favorite thing to bake are cinnamon rolls, but chocolate chip cookies and brownies are runners-up.

All these activities are ways to find joy in being alone. Whether you are like me, separated from my peers with FOMO looming or simply looking for ways to be comfortable alone, I hope these give you some ideas on some solo fun.

Editor's note: Find out where other incoming freshmen are heading to college. Read Class of 2025: Where are they headed? by Caroline Siegfried.