Planning for the future

Tips for smoothly sailing through course registration season

Course registration time can be extremely stressful for many students. You are faced with
thinking about the trajectory of your degree and how things are going. You must consider when you are thinking of graduating and whether you have everything sorted out. One thing about being in my last year of university is the fact that I can register much earlier than others. My trick is to always plan out classes prior to course registration dates, especially if you are new to university. Planning allows you to register in a more efficient manner. It is better to have an idea of what you want your schedule to look like and how many classes you need to take, whether you will be applying for grants, and which classes you want to take. In my opinion, I prefer to focus on important classes that are not always available year-round. If you have language requirements, it is better to start them as early as you can since language classes are not always available every semester.

I like to spend as much time as I can working on my schedule so that when it is time to register, it usually takes me five minutes. It is important for students to understand that advisers are there to help you if you are having a difficult time registering for classes or determining what you should be taking.

Like many other students, I unfortunately must take summer classes. My schedule for the summer is quite messy, but I have no choice. I desperately need the class that I have signed up for. I also don’t get to have a break this summer between internships, my classes, and life in general. I am honestly dreading it all. The only thing I can do is plan so that the stress does not get to me, although it is easier said than done. I rarely drop the classes I have registered for. Since starting university, I have only dropped maybe 3-4 classes in total. Dropping for me is a last resort for when I truly have no other options and I have done everything that I possibly could to continue the class.

I prefer to register for classes as soon as I can rather than waiting. Classes can fill up extremely fast, and too many of us have been through the misery of waiting an entire year just for one class to be available (I know I certainly have). It’s not a good feeling, and it makes you feel as though you’re in a situation where you’re not moving forward, and you’re just stuck. I would not wish that feeling on my worst enemy.

Sometimes you can try your best to plan, but stress is bound to happen when going through the process. The important thing is to ensure you are building a strong foundation that allows you to manage that stress in an efficient manner. Everyone is different, and that is okay. We all have our own ways of tackling stress. What works for someone else may not work for you, and what works for you may not work for someone else – that is just how life is. The same can be said about how you progress through your degree; the speed you go may not be the same as others in your program. Ultimately, as students, it is important to remember to be proud of our growth. We’re still figuring things out and there is no shame in that. The older you get, the wiser you become – and the more you know better, the more you can do better.