It’s the most frustrating time of the year: registering for classes. Whether you’re a freshman or graduating next semester, you have probably heard by now that registering for classes is like the Hunger Games. It’s a race against all to lock in the classes you so desperately need to graduate.
To help you make it through, here are a few tips to get you ready for whatever registration day throws at you.
- Find a savior. No matter how prepared you will be for the big day, there’s only so much you have control over. Sometimes you’re just going to have to leave it to supernatural deities (or your academic advisor) to have a perfect registration period.
- Set a reminder on your phone. Chances are, your registration time will be earlier than your first class. Make multiple reminders on your phone to wake up at least 30 minutes early. That gives you time to bite on a light snack and head to your nearest computer. The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is offering breakfast and additional assistance with registration on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 6 a.m.
- Have a backup schedule. “It makes the process less stressful when you almost inevitably don't get your first pick of classes,” sophomore Stevie Watson said. You’ll notice in life that not everything goes your way. Classes may fill up before the screen even finishes loading. You may have signed up for a class with an evil professor and drop the class within the first thirty minutes. You might have accidentally only signed up for 12 credits and now you’re in big trouble. That’s why it’s essential to have back up classes.
- Register for your most important classes first. Elijah Henderson speaks for everyone when he advises us to sign up for the hard class with the best teacher. Classes like chemistry and biology are classes almost everyone takes at Mercer, and sometimes a teacher can make or break you. “You aren't the only one who wants into the best chem professor's lecture,” Henderson said. Register for these classes first and then go back to register for everything else that won’t be as competitive.
- Don’t worry too much. “It can be a high pressure situation, especially with Mercer's slow system, but staying calm really helps. It'll work out in the end!” Tisha Massey said. She can’t be any farther from the truth on the slow system. Everyone is going through the same struggle, so don’t stress yourself out too much.
- “Use your academic advisor and academic advising services for assistance” Tony Kemp said. You can also talk to academic advising in the Penfield annex (the side door near the library) for more help. You can visit their Facebook Page, Mercer University Academic and Advising Services, for more tips.
- Don’t be upset if none of your classes come up. It’s not that these classes don’t exist. It may be a spelling error or flaw in the search system. Make sure you type in the course number correctly. Remember to add the name for the school the class belongs to (e.g., CLA, ART, EGR, etc.), and try adding in the period after the section number. So if you want biology, try putting in CLA BIO 211.(section number) with a period at the end. If that doesn’t work, remove the period.
- Bring some snacks. Registration can take as little as 5 minutes to as much as 3 hours. While the server disappoints you, snack on some fruit or cereal bars to fuel your mind.
- Cry. Don’t cry because it happened. Cry because it’s over. You have survived one of the most nerve-wrecking days of college.
