Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo

Why Course Registration is More Stressful Than Midterms

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Emory chapter.

It’s that time of the semester – the weather is getting colder, exams are in full swing and stress levels are higher than ever. But most importantly, it’s that time of the semester when we get to put the fate of our spring class schedule into the hands of an untrustworthy electronic system. While midterms and papers are certainly stressful, here’s why Emory course registration takes the cake.

1. Shopping Cart

Via Giphy

Your registration time is just around the corner, and it’s time to put some classes into your shopping cart! With Emory Course Atlas open in one tab and Rate My Professor in another, everything seems to be running smoothly, until you discover that every class that you want is at the exact same time. Choosing between two classes that you want equally? That is definitely not easy!

2. Bad Registration TImes

Via Giphy

Nothing compares to the feeling of looking on OPUS and realizing that you have the very last registration time slot. Nothing, except for the feeling of helplessly watching as your shopping cart changes from green circles to blue boxes right before your eyes.

3. Actually Registering

Via Giphy

You’re sitting at your computer, counting down the seconds until it’s your time to register, praying that your internet connection stays stable just this once. After refreshing for the millionth time, it’s an exhilarating race to select all your classes and click enroll before anyone else. The winners come out with their ideal schedule, and the losers? Better luck next time!​

4. The Waitlist

Via Reaction Gifs

The dreaded waitlist – you haven’t gotten your class, but you haven’t completely given up on it either. You’re so close, but still so far. All you can do is wait, refresh, hope and wait.

5. Add/Drop/Swap

Via Giphy 

This is it – your last chance at your dream schedule. For an entire week, every second spent not looking at OPUS is a second that your class could open, and then close again. If you mess this up, there’s no going back. The pressure’s on, and you have to be ready to click that swap button at any given moment.

Between deciding what classes you want to take, racing to get them, and finalizing your schedule, course registration is a super stressful time! But don’t worry – somehow, it always works itself out in the end. Once you have your schedule set, it is smooth sailing from there.

Her Campus at Emory University