By Monica Chapman

Coming out of high school, Kellie Snyder had her heart set on big city life. But after one visit to Ohio University's Athens campus, the Dayton native cancelled visits to her other college prospects. Snyder was a Bobcat at heart.

Today, as a junior journalism major in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Snyder says she has no regrets. But her heart did skip a beat when the University announced that it would be transitioning to a semester calendar at the start of her senior year.

As a social media intern for the Division of Student Affairs, Snyder recently blogged about coming to grips with the Q2S transition, explaining that, "Change is horrific for hyper-organized, ultra-prepared people like me."

For Snyder, the road to semesters was marked with fear, procrastination and a healthy dose of complaints. But after initiating conversations with her Q2S advisor about the Transition Degree Completion Plan (TDCP) process, she eventually came to embrace the calendar change.

For more on Snyder's experience, read on. Or click here to view her Q2S blog.

How did your blog come about?

All of the "Dean Team" interns were given the responsibility to pick topics that we wanted to write about. I decided to write about Q2S because I had recently gone to the Q2S Fair. It was on my mind, and I thought students could probably relate.

What terrified you about the Q2S process?

I am one of those students who plans way ahead. So when I came in as a freshman, I mapped out my entire schedule. When I realized the change was going to happen, I thought everything I set in stone had to be modified. But after talking with advisors and other people who could help me out, I realized not everything was shattered. It was just a little bit of an alteration.

In your blog, you talked about pretending the change wasn't going to happen. What snapped you out of procrastination mode?

I think just the realization that I'm a junior and it is going to change. It's not a rumor; it's true. This is happening. You can't keep your old course loads. You have to change it. So I decided it was time to open my eyes.

Why is it important for students to be proactive?

Even though we all love Athens, I don't think anyone wants to stay an extra year. If you sit back and let the change happen, you could find yourself unprepared. I think students should be pro-active so they can go into next year with confidence, knowing that they are on track to graduate.

You blogged enthusiastically about the TDCP. Why was this helpful for you?

It helped me become more focused in the moment. It made it a lot more clear to me what I needed to schedule right now.

Are your concerns increasing or lessening as semesters approach?

I feel like my concerns have actually lessened the closer it gets just because I've taken the time to go over the checklists, take it all in and consider possible scenarios.

What do you want to say to fellow students on the subject?

Meet with your advisor instead of sitting back and worrying. Voice your concerns. Talk to someone who can help you out.

What do you prefer: Quarters or semesters?

I like quarters because you can change classes more. You get to switch it up more often. But now that I'm into my major and minor courses, I don't mind semesters because it will be nice to have more time with those courses.

For more information about the Quarters to Semesters transition, including class meeting times, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic calendars, please visit the Q2S website here.