It’s that time of year again: registration. Don’t panic! If you’re like me, when everyone starts talking about registration I get to be a nervous wreck. I start to think I am behind because I don’t know which professor I want to take, what time I want my classes to be, or even what electives I am interested in. Then again, nothing’s permanent… right?

I went into college knowing that I certainly and permanently wanted to study international business. That being said, I just recently decided on majoring in finance with a pre-med track, a big change for someone who thought that international studies would be my definite major.

Because of this, I had to change my college plan and just made a new one for the next six semesters of my college career. Doing it myself was a bit of a struggle, but I highly recommend taking time to sit down and plan out your classes for the remaining time at school because it will make for an easier registration process next semester. Don’t get me wrong, it’s harder than just sitting down with an advisor who will tell you what to take as you nod your head and say “ok”, but you will definitely feel more in control and driven to decide your own path for college classes. I should also mention that by making a class plan yourself, you will know exactly how and which classes and credits will add up to completing your college checklist. You will feel much more organized than the person who has not taken a piece out of their day to figure out their plan. It is definitely worth your while to invest time in yourself.

Here’s how to get through registration without breaking a sweat:

1. Don’t wait until the last minute to make a plan. At Fairfield, upperclassmen and athletes register before rising sophomores and non-athletes. Because of this, classes you want to take may already be full even before registration time, because of this I recommend making a plan so that you are not scrambling to get a seat in a section of a class that can perhaps fill up quickly. If you want to me even more extra, make several plans in case a section of a class you want fills up before you register.
2. If your registration time is during a class, email the teacher beforehand and ask if you can step out of the room to register. Teachers technically are supposed to say yes to thing type of thing, so do not be afraid to ask because you may in fact regret not having the opportunity to do so.
3. If your registration time is in the morning, wake up early and make sure you’re on the site. There is nothing wrong with being over prepared, especially when it comes to your future.
4. When making your class plan, ask your friends what teachers they have and what their thoughts are on the class. If you know you are a different type of learner you’re your friends however, definitely use rate my professor before adding a class. Being a freshman, I did not do this for my first time registering because my advisor walked me through it. Unfortunately, I had professors that did not have my well-being at heart and it was a struggle. From then on, I have used rate my professor and the comments are pretty true to their word. Different students have different learning styles but the comments usually touch upon the niceness of a professor and their syllabus (amounts of tests, homework, extra credit, et cetera) which can really help no matter what type of learning style you have. There is no shame in using rate my professor, that’s for sure.
5. Remember to use your resources. Get your registration code and meet with your advisor before the day of your registration. They are called advisors for a reason, they should want and be able to help you. If not, be your own change agent and ask for a new advisor who has your best interest at heart. There is no shame in this, we pay to go to university and should have the best treatment. Ask as many questions about registering, your plan, and classes because this will all help you to succeed and you will thank yourself later.

Registration will go by fast, just make sure you stay on top of it… everything happens for a reason and will all work out in the end. Don’t break a sweat over registration, you've totally got this.