Every week I send out Weekend Updates to my students. This happens on either Thursday or Friday and sometimes if my schedule gets CrAzY, it has happened on a Saturday, but that’s relatively rare.

The goal of the weekend updates are simply to remind you of important due dates and homework, e.g.

Hey all, don’t forget there is an Exam on Monday and your Homework for section 2.4 – 2.6 is due Sunday night at midnight.

Now the due dates are still there whether or not an announcement goes out. I just find it nice for students to give them gentle nudges / reminders. Some faculty lean in on the calendars such that Canvas will tell you exactly when things are due, automated emails / reminders, etc… I’ve actually had a few students have SERIOUS issue that I do not do this. I would retort that one of the most valuable intrinsic skills gained within an engineering program is time management and keeping track of your own schedule / deadlines etc…

With that in mind, taking a more paternal approach, we need to start taking the training wheels off your bicycle. In your Junior / Senior year, you will have tenured track professors (i.e. they can’t be fired), with deadlines for projects, homework, and exams in 4-5 classes as well as possibly a real life and if you can’t manage your own deadlines and projects, you will flail miserably.

Rather than simply leaving you to no reminders, I’m choosing the Goldilocks’ path. A small reminder on Fridays going into the weekend.