Phew! First semester is over! It's winter break and time to enjoy and relax. Yet, in the back of your mind is a nagging reminder of school: winter registration for the spring. On your school website sits the date and time to get your classes like a deadline. It reminds you that you will have to get books and then you hope that it will all be okay from there on out.
Getting your degree is the true end goal, but hey, why not have some fun with it? People think that once they've arrived at school they should be focusing on taking classes all at once to get ahead. But, the truth is DON'T overload. Yes, you need to take specific classes for your major, but remember this advice when picking your classes.
1. It's not a race.
Yes, it would be nice to get out as fast as possible, but if you overload it's going to cause some problems. Being overstressed and taking a heavy load could actually hurt your grades. By taking a normal load you can focus on your classes and getting the grades you need to.
2. If you have too, trial and error.
You may have to take an 8 a.m. class or give up some days of just straight classes. Going through college, you learn what works best for you. Like myself, I like to take classes back to back because it keeps me more motivated. Yes, it will be a process but you learn more about how you operate and what works best for yourself.
3. Always check what professors are teaching.
My cousin always said to me, "If you get a teacher you like, always take their classes." She was right. Believe it or not it actually helps! Some teachers can convince you almost to switch majors and others will make you cringe talking about a class. Always talk to your peers or consult online about a teacher before taking their class. Even if it's at the worst time, take them no matter what.
4. Always have a backup for classes.
Sometimes you may not get the class you wanted, so make sure you have a backup plan. If you can't take the history 100, make sure there is another class you need to take in it's place. Murphy's law when it comes to registration.
5. Have some fun.
If there is a one unit class for fun you can take, do it. There is no harm in taking a surfing class. It helps relieve the stress with school and a great way to make friends.
6. Once you registered for your classes, found out what others are taking.
Find out what friends are taking the same classes. It helps on the first day so don't worry, you are not alone. Also, go look up your textbooks. Some teachers won't have textbooks, yet some of them are online being rented. You can save money on a $100 textbook to replace it with a $30 rental for the semester. It's total win for yourself if you have to pay for college.
Registration is a dreadful thing, but there is a plus side to it. By getting the right classes or teachers, your GPA can go up and it can prove to be a fun semester. Being smart about school and how to go about it, is the right way to pick your classes.
