It’s the final day of Nina and Fabiha's Declassified Summer Registration Guide! Here are some friendly tips and reminders on getting through class registration smoothly and calmly.
As most of you know, during July 17th - 21st you’re registering for only First-Year Writing and First-Year Seminar, and potentially a P.E. and select other Barnard courses, and planning for all other classes. You don’t officially sign up for your classes other than your First Year Writing/Seminar, PE class, and classes from this list until September 1st so you’re not tied to any of the decisions, outside of the FYW/FYS courses, that you make. In fact, even after you register on September 1st, there’s room for making changes. That’s where shopping week comes in.
Shopping week(s) goes from when classes start on September 5th through the 15th, which is the last day you have to finalize your schedule. That means you have ELEVEN DAYS to try out as many different courses as you’d like before you commit.
A word of caution: if there are any classes you’re seriously considering, make sure to attend the first class. Many professors won’t allow students who don’t attend the first meeting to enroll -- even if you’re registered for the course online -- as you often obtain the syllabus, introduction to the material, course expectations, and in some cases, a brief statement of interest in the course (if it’s over-enrolled) to finalize the roster. This means that on occasion, especially as underclassmen, you might not always get into your top pick classes on the first try. It can be a hard loss. But remember. Most of you have at least seven semesters left to try again.
'Til finals do us part - Finding the right courses
All that being said, your schedule can go through some wild changes during shopping week or it can stay exactly the same. That’s up to you. We highly recommend staying open to options and not being married to your schedule before you even get to campus.
It’s easy to get super attached to the incredible-sounding classes you read about in anticipation for your first semester, but remember to keep an open-mind to others and at least attend the first class before you put a ring on it.
If a class seems too intense for your first-semester, or doesn’t interest you as much as you thought, don’t be afraid to drop it and try again another semester! On the other hand, if you’re really intrigued by a class but don’t think it’ll be “useful” for your future career or fulfill any requirements, try it out anyway. Follow your gut and don’t let any preconceived notions of what courses you were planning to take over the summer hold you back.
ON THAT NOTE! Keep in mind that you do not have to take classes in the same fields, departments, or areas of study that you did in high school. Your first semester, and college in general, is your chance to study completely new concepts! Try to find a balance between fulfilling some basic requirements and taking the classes that you want to take. You definitely don’t want to get stuck junior year with all of your Foundations general education requirements still unfinished, but taking classes across several disciplines can often fulfill some of those requirements and help you figure out your future major(s)/minor(s) along the way!
Remember to challenge yourself with your courses but don’t overwhelm yourself. Take a few intro classes to get your feet wet in new/less familiar subjects alongside a little more advanced course in a subject you might want to major in or feel confident in. As tempting as it may be to sign up for 500 classes, keep in mind you’ll also be adjusting to college workloads, trying to find new groups of friends, exploring extracurricular options, applying for jobs, trying out/practicing for sports, auditioning/rehearsing for plays, and any other of the wonderful things you’ll be doing. Taking 18+ credits your first semester is unadvised for a reason: you won’t have as much time for other first-year experiences and could get very quickly overwhelmed.
Also remember that this is your first of many semesters ahead. It is not the end all be all so try to take a deep breath, figure out what’s going to be most productive for you to learn your first semester and go from there! Many have come before you and many have gotten through it. And remember that there are always resources on campus to help you.
