The First Semester: Next Semester Already?
A guide for picking classes
In my previous piece, we discussed the halfway point of the semester and how it can be used as a measuring stick to see how students are shaping up entering the last two months of classes before winter break. But what makes the end of October/early November unique is its time to think about next semester and registering for courses in the spring, to their disbelief.
Students must contact their academic advisors, search the course catalog, and figure out their schedules for next semester. Here are some things to think about when registering for classes.
-Class Time: Do students like waking up early or complete their best work during the evening? One of the best parts of college is that students can create their schedules and choose their professors. Individuals who can make their schedule can be held accountable if it does not go well, as they created their situation. They also can build in time for jobs, internships, and student organizations they are in. Granted, some classes will only be offered during certain times, but the flexibility remains.
-Credits: In your second semester, you can choose how many credits you have. Talk with your advisor about courses that balance university requirements while diving into classes for your major that interest you. Not all classes a student takes will be life-changing. Doing assignments every week can seem trivial, but they must be completed. Finding the balance between challenging courses that cover university requirements while also digging into classes helps mold the best possible schedule to stay on the path to graduation while keeping a crisp focus.
-Still want that major: Many times, students will choose majors when entering college based on expectations and social pressures often put on them by others, but after experimenting with some classes, they may want to switch majors. This is an excellent time to see if they still wish to pursue the program they chose when they were still in high school. To make the switch, their advisor is the best person to discuss a potential change to a field of study that better fits them. This time of a college student’s first year is a time to think about their future, a theme that will happen in one’s post-secondary education experience
Even though students are still in the thick of this semester, it’s vital to pause and consider the next semester. Individuals can get ahead by planning out future courses to take and can get into them right away, easing any anxiety about picking classes. In a semester of many firsts, this planning lesson can be one of the best ways to get ahead of their peers during this time.
