By Kaitlin Dunn
Lifestyle Editor
As the semester hits its mid-point, Washington College students begin the process of choosing classes for the next semester.
With this comes the inevitable anxiety that never seems to dissipate, even if this is your third or fourth time building a schedule.
Though it may never be pleasant to build your schedule, this doesn’t mean you should be inconvenienced when doing so. Here are some ways to craft the perfect schedule to fit your needs.
Assess what requirements you have to fulfill
Although it’s easy to only choose classes that you enjoy and want to take for fun, it’s important to make sure you’re filling out and completing your distribution and major requirements so that you can graduate.
The registrar page on the WC website has a link to the distribution requirements for each year, and once you declare a major, Self Service allows you to see how you are progressing within the major.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the online catalog reading course descriptions. Every course may sound like exactly one you want to take. With so many choices, you might find yourself with a full schedule for the upcoming semester without considering the next seven semesters,” CollegeLifeToday writer Rachel Layberry said.
If you are unsure of what classes you still need to take to fulfill your requirements, don’t fret. Everyone meets with their advisor prior to registering, and you can work out and discuss all of your concerns then.
Decide times for your classes
One of the most important things to do when crafting a schedule to perfectly fit your life is deciding times you want your courses to be at.
Do you prefer sleeping in and are willing to sacrifice a little more of your afternoon to get that extra hour of sleep? Are you an early bird who will be up in time to do well in an 8:30 a.m. course? These are all options to take into consideration.
If you know you are not an early bird or a night owl, don’t pressure yourself to take classes in these time slots unless absolutely necessary.
“If you know you won’t be able to handle classes that meet early or late in the day, don’t pressure yourself into taking them to “save” time; you will thank yourself later,” This Girl Knows It writer Charlotte Nicole said.
Block out break times
With the busy lives college students lead, it can be easy to forgo breaks in order to get a requirement out of the way or to get ahead.
However, overbooking is an easy way to burn out, which will leave you with no energy to participate in any of your activities or classes.
“You might think the road to college success includes non-stop studying and cramming courses, but the perfect college schedule should actually include multiple breaks every day. Instead of running to back-to-back classes before spending all night in the library, give yourself time to take a breath, tend to your mental health, and recharge,” HER Campus writer Ginger Abbot said.
Your break can be whatever you want it to be, whether it’s gaps between each of your classes, a late start, or an early finish during the week.
Find out what suits you best and what works with your schedule.
Plan ahead
It’s easy to get caught up with planning classes and getting excited for what the next semester may bring.
However, remember to have backup classes in case one fills up before you can register or you find out early on in the semester starts, a class that you thought would be perfect actually doesn’t fit with your schedule at all. While planning out your schedule can be stressful, there are ways to mitigate that stress to make sure that you have the best schedule for you.
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