Tangents & Tirades

by Andrea Traietti on September 3, 2020


Opinion


Switch to Military Time

If you manage to make it through all four years at Providence College without incorrectly setting your alarm, consider yourself one of the few. The 12-hour clock system is unnecessarily confusing, and it can easily be the reason that you sleep through a class or meeting.

Although setting an alarm seems like a very simple task, it is far too easy to mistakenly set it for 8 o’clock at night instead of 8 o’clock in the morning. You may overlook the minor detail of switching the default option from p.m. to a.m., especially if you set your alarm at night while your eyes start to give up after a long day. 

An easy solution to this is switching over to military time. After teaching yourself to stop keeping track of time in terms of a.m. and p.m., you will never run into alarm-setting issues again. Although this adjustment will take some getting used to, the 24-hour clock system will eventually become second nature, and it will even help you brush up on your math skills in the meantime by forcing you to do conversions in your head. 

Even if you have never been guilty of setting the wrong alarm, it will not hurt to proactively make the switch. The 12-hour clock system is ambiguous and more complicated than it needs to be, and seeing that a more simplified system exists, why not take advantage of it?

—Kelly Wheeler ’21

 

 

“Normalcy” in Online Classes

Online class might seem like a luxury on a Monday morning at 8:30, as some could see it as an opportunity to stay in bed for as long as possible, lounge around, and simply log onto Zoom at 8:29.

This, however, might be a poor plan if you are hoping to make this year feel as “normal” as possible. Instead, it might be beneficial to act as if your class is in-person. Getting into a routine can be a great source of motivation to stay on track, even if most classes are in your room.

One example of this is simple: clothes. How we dress can determine the way we feel for the rest of the day. Although it is tempting to sit in sweatpants all day— and it might happen on more days than not— it might be wise to consider taking the time to pick out outfits that feel presentable. Oftentimes, feeling confident in your outfit translates to confidence in class. This is the case for in-person classes, so it is easily translatable to online classes.

In addition, it is important to take proper notes and focus in class. Although there are many distractions around, including phones and other tabs on a laptop, it is important to stay focused on the Zoom screen, as if you were in class. Be sure to participate and actively engage to make the most of your education. Just because the location of your class may have changed, this does not necessarily mean expectations have.

—Julia McCoy ’22