Happy Registration collegiettes! Or maybe UNhappy is already sounding more accurate only two days in? It’s finally warm enough to restore your faith in your crop-top-for-Bacchanal dreams and you feel motivated to go to class pretty much never. You don’t want to miss a single moment of that elusive college-y bonding on the lawn, so why would you pore over the bajillion page course catalog or waste an hour waiting to discuss needlessly stressful academic things with your advisor in a dark hallway, right? Well actually, lurking behind that sunshine and froyo and rapidly approaching summer fun will come another school year—one you don’t want to despise later on just because you’re so antsy to get this frustrating program planning thing over with as fast as possible right now. Whether you’re a soon-to-be-sophomore trying to figure out how to start tackling major requirements, a rising senior struggling to space out a thesis and annoying requirements and, you know, graduate on time, or a future junior wondering how it’s possible to get screwed out of the classes you want every semester, consider these four important questions to help you avoid major program planning headaches, unexpected course drama, or a schedule that you totally hate before you tell your advisor to click “Approve”!
What do you absolutely have to take?
Creating a schedule out of nothing can feel pretty much impossible, so it’s much easier to start with the class(es) you know you have to take no matter what. This usually applies to major requirements, so check departments’ websites to make sure you’re staying on top of exactly what you need to do to complete the program. Once you add that mandatory seminar/lab/colloquium to your program, you can start to build the rest of your schedule around it. It’s also generally a good idea to slot in at least one other requirement before you start shopping around for interesting electives. Don’t want to take math and science in the same semester? Designate one for fall and one for spring. Planning on studying abroad and missing a junior year major requirement? Speak to someone in that department about how to be proactive in fulfilling substitutions for whatever you might miss. No matter what, just don’t set yourself up to be the senior with 22 credits to take in one semester across four of the Nine Ways of Knowing!
Are there more pros or cons to taking the class?
A class that immediately interests you, has amazing CULPA reviews and a reportedly manageable workload, fits into that perfect open time slot in your schedule-in-progress, and is taught by a professor your friend really liked, even though it doesn’t fulfill any specific requirement? No brainer. DO IT! A class that meets at 8:40am on Mondays, is in a subject you already know you’re going to hate, includes a mandatory discussion section, has mediocre reviews about a boring professor and ridiculous workload on CULPA, but fulfills a requirement? No. No. No. Seriously, why would you do that to yourself? If you’re hard-pressed to find positive things to say about a class when it only exists on paper, back away from the “add” button. Don’t set yourself up for misery!
Is your schedule balanced?
No matter how much you love a subject, an overly English/history/political science/math-heavy course load can definitely be too much of a good thing when it comes to creating your schedule. Sure you’re racking up lots of credits towards what is likely your major or minor if you take three classes in the same subject, but you’re also agreeing to do the same type of homework night after night three times over. It’s so important to your sanity and academic success that you have at least a little bit of variety across the classes you’re taking. Don’t take five reading-intensive classes without giving it some serious thought first! Don’t want a problem set due every week of the semester? Be wary when signing up for a schedule of all math- and science-oriented classes! Variety in your workload will help you consistently plug away at what you need to get done, rather than being burnt out and wanting to change majors by the time midterms roll around.
What kind of day-to-day schedule works best for you?
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Most productive in shorter bursts between classes or during a six-hour library marathon? Planning to intern, get a job, or hold a position in another activity? Even though picking classes is obviously about academics, it can often be the answers to these lifestyle and personal preference questions that determines the success or total misery of your schedule. I promise you, I’m speaking from experience. Last spring, I got it into my head that I could totally handle an 8:40am Monday/Wednesday class and a 9am on Tuesdays because I would get out of class earlier in the day, power through my work in the afternoon and evening, and then go to bed earlier to make up for the sleep I would lose in the morning. In case you’re wondering how this plan worked out for me, you should know that I didn’t suddenly become a morning person just because “Shakespeare I” was at 8:40am, and I still worked most efficiently at night. End result? No sleep, which made being productive a lot harder. If you can’t function before 10am, don’t sign up for early classes every day. If going to the gym before dinner preserves your sanity, try to leave yourself time in the late afternoon. Group your classes onto two or three days if you’re hoping to intern. If looking at your schedule strikes terror in your heart now just in anticipation of being that busy, do yourself a favor and make some changes. No matter which classes you ultimately choose, just remember that you’re still only one person and that you need to eat meals at somewhat normal hours, sleep an average amount at least some of the time, and get to do the things that keep you sane on a regular basis!