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For college orientation, which can be an exciting and busy time, you’ll be meeting new people, exploring campus, and even signing up for classes. It’s easy to get caught up in everything that is happening, so it’s important to keep in mind some things that you should avoid when registering for classes.
Read the course description.
Don’t just create your college schedule based on a course’s name. Take the time to peruse the course description and details to learn more about what the course will cover. Some classes may require extra materials, attendance at outside classroom workshops or events, or they may even be different from what you thought they would be based on the title.
Focus on yourself.
Don’t worry about the others around you. Some schools have students register individually with an academic advisor, while others may be in a group of other students and one or two advisors. In the group setting, it can be tempting to choose all of the same classes as others in your group. However, this can be a poor decision since you are an individual and will have unique academic requirements and needs in comparison to your peers. If you and someone else in your group happen to end up in the same class when the semester begins, that’s great! Just make sure that you are making the right academic decisions for you.
Have backups when you’re registering.
Don’t assume you’ll get every class at the perfect time. The reality is, classes fill up. You can try your hardest to get a “perfect” schedule, but build a backup schedule just in case the first one doesn’t work out. If your plan A doesn’t come into fruition, having a plan B will help you stay relaxed instead of scrambling and stressed.
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