At 4:00 p.m. on Oct. 28 the list of Spring 2017 classes went live, causing a whole array of feelings in the student community: panic, excitement, frustration and a tiny little bit of nausea. For the freshmen, it is their first time going through the process of navigating Treehouse’s listings. For the more experienced ones, the familiar stress about planning their future is settling in. Regardless of their year, when the classes appeared online an imaginary clock started ticking on the back of all Drew students’ heads.
As nice as it is to have all the offered classes listed online, there is always a feeling of trepidation about registering for them. Will the class be offered next semester? Will it be full by the time I apply? Is this my only chance to take this class? How do I fit all these classes on my schedule? Just… why?
Registering for classes usually gets easier as the years go by, but it can still be a daunting process for any student. One of the biggest pieces of advice is to set up a meeting with your faculty advisor. They can offer very valuable assistance about choosing classes for your major and can recommend pursuing certain classes that are offered on an irregular basis. You also need your advisor to get the PIN number to register for classes. For students going through their first few years here at Drew, it is also important to keep an eye on classes that satisfy general education requirements. It is best to get these classes out of the way sooner rather than later to give you more flexibility later down the road. For upperclassmen, the biggest part of registration is making sure that you have checked all the boxes on Treehouse for your respective majors and minors. The worst possible thing would be to realize too late that a mandatory class for your major is only offered every four years.
While it is definitely important to take classes that meet certain requirements, registration can also be an opportunity to try new classes. If you see a course listing that seems interesting to you or a class offered by a professor you’re familiar with, and it fits with your schedule, go for it. This could open up a new interest for you, and maybe even lead to a new major or minor.
In closing, while class registration is a stressful time for students in any year, it is also an exciting time to set up your future.
