The school year is wrapping up, which means a few things. Among those are finals but something else that people tend to forget about is that class registration for the following semester has to be completed. Last week was when all of the chaos took place and the registrar probably had a huge headache. Coming from an upperclassman, I have some suggestions for incoming freshmen or underclassmen in general regarding class registration.
During the week of registration, I could overhear a lot of students asking each other, “When do you register?” It’s a hot topic of conversation and everybody was stressed about their registration time because they hoped they would get the classes they wanted or needed. Among those students who had said they were registering soon, many of them were anxious because it was during class. Therefore, my first piece of advice is to let your professor know that you have registration. They are more than understanding if you have to pull out your computer and register online (if you have enough credits to use this method) or if you have to go to Maas and sign up with someone from the registrar. Regardless, be polite about it because nobody likes someone disrupting the class, even if permission is given.
A common issue that many underclassmen have is getting the classes they want. Since they have the fewest credits out of everyone on campus, their registration time is the latest and classes are mostly filled up. Don’t stress! It’s easier said than done, but everyone started at the bottom at one point or another. There’s always that one class that you really want but it magically filled up right when your registration time nears. Therefore, my second piece of advice is to have a LOT of backup classes in case some get filled. This is really frustrating because only some work with your schedule and sometimes you have to change everything around to accommodate some classes, ones that you don’t really want but are Gen Eds so you have to take them anyway.
Another important key to registering is to have a good attitude. If you have to change classes around, be considerate and helpful with the Registrar because they have a lot on their plate and the last thing they need is a negative behavior. In addition, pay attention if you need specific permission to take certain classes because the registrar sometimes needs verification in order to put you in a class, so be mindful of that. The process is much easier and smooth if you simply follow directions!
This is my most important piece of advice: save some easier or Gen Eds for junior and senior year! At this point in your college career you are taking upper level classes that pertain to your major and it can be overwhelming. Therefore, having an “easy” class to ease some stress in your schedule is really smart and you’ll thank yourself later. That is what I did and I’m looking forward to my senior year because I have a few classes that shouldn’t be too difficult, so I can actually enjoy my last year as an undergrad.
Well, since registration has passed, I hope that these bits of advice are helpful in planning out future schedules. Have a great rest of your week! Only a few weeks until summer!!!
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