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Begin with the basics: The class scheduleSep 23 '04 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line While it won't be the end of the world, choosing the right schedule can make waking up and going to bed a lot easier for college students. It astounds me to know the many people who really don't care about their class schedules, only that they fit them around work, have them as late as possible or be in class for as few days as possible. While all important consideration, the classes you take and when with particular professors can seriously impact your academic career and beyond. Hopefully, the following will help. Not everything will work, especially for freshmen who have general education requirements that are offered only at particular times, but hopefully they may guide students into having a more enjoyable class load. Know thyself! AND: To thine own self be true... Yeah, yeah, cliches, but they do apply here. In college, you can choose to take 5 days worth of 8 AMs. Or, in the other extreme, take all night classes. If you can't get up before noon, don't schedule classes before then. You're not going to go, because now you're a college student, with no parents to wake you up in the morning and give you five more minutes. Trust me, you'll hate yourself and the class. Or, like my roomate, you'll just stop going. Likewise, know when you're at your best. If you're an early bird, by all means, schedule those 8 AMs. If you know you'll be ready for a post-lunch siesta, keep the 12-2 time period free. It may take a semester or so, but figure out when you're at your best and schedule classes during those times. Beyond that, here are some tips that require a little more work (*groan*, more work? I'm in college, yo!), but can be immensely satisfying: Schedule breaks This is a toss-up. Some people like no breaks, I prefer to have some time to unwind and have some downtime before my next class. Unless I really love the subject matter, going straight can be really frazzling sometimes, especially around exam time. Having about an hour or so between classes have many benefits, including but not limited to: going back to the dorm for that forgotten notebook, grabbing a snack without having to hurry, a chance to read that text you didn't get to last night, a last chance to review before the exam. Of course, it's the student's preference and depends if you can manage to schedule a break. Location While it might not seem like such a big deal, it'll be no fun if you have to run across the campus to get to your next class. Especially in extreme weather such as snow or desert heat. Do your best to be aware of where your classes are. The Student Handbook It may go by another name for your college, but somewhere there should be a handy reference to all the classes offered for the current (or even future) academic year. These give you handy references at your fingertips. Flip through the book. Find subjects you've always been interested learning about. Mark up interesting sounding classes or classes offered by your favorite professors. Be forewarned though, those class descriptions can be decieving. Really cool sounding stuff can turn out to be zombie-producing lectures, while incredibly bland and tough material can be intriguing material in reality. For me, it was how I found a class on the history and culture of the samurai. The Professors You know who I'm talking about. Those greying, middle-aged, slightly pot-bellied fellows with the bow ties and the perpetual frazzled look. Okay, no, that's a stereotype. For me, a professor/instructor really can make or break a class for me, and is the most important factor in choosing my class. This is especially helpful for those boring graduation requirements. While you need to learn about these things, it always helps to have an enthusiastic professor. The best ones have gotten me interested in topics I never thought I would ever care about: Greek History, Quantam Mechanics, etc. In the hands of lesser professors, I'd be ready to jump out the window. However, sometimes a really bad professor can also help you realize that you're in the class because you love the subject. Yet I was lucky to know of/research about the better professors at my college. These teachers have been among the best in my academic career. How do you find these excellent instructors? Talk to people. What are your friends taking? Do they like particular classes or professors? Talk to other professors. Find out whose classes are filled the fastest at registration. Who the more popular professors in areas you are interested in. You may find the award-winning recipients aren't all they're cracked up to be. You also may find that new struggling professor is really enthusiastic about his/her subject and teaching. Professors are usually more than happy to recommend colleagues if you ask. If you're not sure, email the particular professor and ask them about the class you want to take with them. Meet them in office hours. Get a feel for them, so you can save yourself the trouble of trying to stay awake or transferring out if it doesn't work out. Professors are usually happy to talk about their classes and work. If they seem unfriendly, you know they're probably not for you. Hopefully these were helpful in some way. Good luck in choosing your schedule!  |
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