In the beginning of April, I was trying to do work when I got an email saying the course offerings for fall 2015 were out. At that moment, my productivity went right down the drain. First, I’m shocked because it feels like this semester just started. It seems like I just had to go through the awkward introductions and yet it’s already almost coming to an end. Second, I had been waiting for weeks to see what was going to be offered, so I jumped right on.
Registration this time is a little bittersweet for me. I’ll finally get to go early on the first day, guaranteeing that I’ll get the classes needed. But at the same time, I already have 114 credits which means I’ll be graduating in December. So these last three classes I’m about to sign up for are my last. I’ll never experience the stress and anxiety of planning course schedules and signing in to register again.
When the courses come out, everyone worries about which class they’re going to take instead of doing the work they have for the classes they’re currently taking. Try not to do this because you’re going to add even more stress to your plate. As a veteran of class registration, I’ve learned a few things along the way to ensure you get what you want — or at least something you need.
Here are some other tips I’ve learned throughout the years when it comes to course registration:
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Make more than one potential schedule and have backup classes. Looking for classes while you’re trying to register is not going to help you any. If you get closed out of a class, make sure you have other ones you can take.
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Meet with your advisor. Most advisors, or at least at Fisher, require you to meet with them in order to get the information you need to register. You could get penalized by being locked out of registration if you don’t do this! However, even if this isn’t the case for your school, still meet with him or her so you can make sure you have what you need and are on track to graduate on time.
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If you need special permission from an instructor to get into a class, set this up ahead of time so you will be able to get in when it’s your time. For example, if there’s a class you want to take but you don’t meet every requirement, see what you can do to get around that. If that requires a professor signing off for you, make sure you do this sooner rather than later.
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Have all of your course registration codes in one spot. I write them in a list and just type them in furiously when it’s my time to register. I know some people have them typed in a Word doc and copy and paste them — whatever works best for you! This lets you find your classes sooner — and hopefully beating out other people fighting for your spot.
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STAY CALM. I know I am an anxious wreck in the few minutes leading up to my registration time, but I try to remind myself that it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get into a class. There are always other options. So just remember to breathe and take your time!
Written by Emily Mein. Emily attends St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. Sharing information or a person’s story with people is why she loves writing. She can never get enough of Twitter, pasta and Syracuse basketball.
