This is it -- the main week in the semester where the entire campus is frantically trying to register for the correct classes at the times that they want. Anyone who's done it before knows that it can be a really stressful time of the year. Probably the most stressful time for a lot of people right before finals start. As someone who has gone through this many times, I've learned the ins and outs of the system pretty well. So never fear -- here are some of my best tips and tricks to surviving course registration week and successfully coming out the other end with a schedule that won't make you want to rip your hair out of your head.
If you're not finished with your general education requirements that should honestly be your first priority. Even if you think you're never going to change your major, things come up and people change their minds. The worst thing that happens to so many people is that they focus on their major requirements, skip the general education requirements, and then end up feeling screwed when they decide to change their major. The best thing you can do is try to get the majority of your general education requirements out of the way so you don't have to worry about them. This way, even if you decide to change your major halfway through your requirements, at least your general education requirements will be complete and out of the way.
Something important to know at SUNY Oneonta, in particular, is that there is a new general education requirement plan you can choose from. This plan requires students to take one composition or communication class, one math, and then complete five out of eight of the other requirements, a total of 30 general education requirements altogether. It's much easier, especially for those who are dreading certain subjects, such as the science with a lab or the foreign language, you don't have to complete them. This second plan definitely took a huge weight off of my shoulders, and if you're interested in learning more you can contact someone in Academic Advisement. Also, check it out on DegreeWorks where you can process a "what if" with the semester.
Have a back up plan, and a back up plan to that back up plan. I cannot stress this enough -- especially if you're a freshman or sophomore. The fact of the matter is that when you're on the bottom of the class men totem pole, this means that you're one of the last people who gets to choose classes, which means less options. Another reason why you should focus on getting your general education requirements done and out of the way, since there are bound to be tons of more options for those compared to the classes that are specific for each major. Take the time to write out a few different class time options that would work you and maybe pick out like seven to eight classes to choose from. That way if one of the classes you wanted to take is full, you can move on to a different section with a different time, or take a different class.
Most importantly, remember that everyone and I mean everyone, has a hard time with registration week. Everyone has problems with their computers crashing or not getting into the classes you want to. Unfortunately, not everyone on campus can get into every single class at the exact time that they want every single semester. It's completely unrealistic for all 6,000+ of us at SUNY Oneonta to make our schedules exactly how we want them to be. So, please remember that you're not the only one who will be struggling harder than usual just to get out of this week alive and with a decent, doable schedule. If your schedule doesn't turn out how you originally anticipated, know that it is absolutely going to be okay. You're gonna get through it -- with or without the perfect class schedule for the spring semester.
