I’m a senior and just registered for classes for the last time. It’s crazy how fast time goes by in college. Registering for the fall semester as an incoming freshman is relatively easy because you have advisors to help with questions, but that first time registering by yourself can be anxiety inducing. Â
I still remember the first time I registered for classes by myself. It was mid-October, and I was scared I wouldn’t hear my alarm and wake up late, but I woke up at 7 a.m., and I rushed to log in and add the classes from my plan that I made prior. Luckily, I was able to add all of them before they filled up. Even though registration is bound to be a bit stressful no matter what, scheduling a meeting over zoom with an advisor to make a plan is a really good way to reduce that stress.  Â
I’ve never had my “ideal” schedule, which to me was just having a day off. I remember hearing from some of my friends that they were able to arrange their schedules in such a way that they had Fridays off. As an English major, most of my classes either meet every Tuesday and Thursday, or every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so it’s been difficult to find space for a day off. Depending on your major, the classes offered per semester, and seats available in each class, it may be easier or harder to create your ideal schedule. To have the best chance of having a schedule you love, I recommend getting a head start.  Â
One of the best tools that I recommend to everyone is Rate My Professor. It’s so helpful, I’ve lived by this website through all of my four years at Temple. If there are courses that you’re interested in taking and you want to get reviews on the professor, this is the website for you. The professors are rated on a scale of one to five, and there are reviews from students who have taken courses the professor has taught. There is also a rating on the level of difficulty, and a percentage based on the students who would take the course again. There are times when I haven’t been able to find a review for the exact class, I’m interested in taking, but it’s still helpful to get an idea of how the professor is and learn about their teaching style. Rate My Professor is how I found my IH (Intellectual Heritage) professor, whose class I took for both IH I and II. If you’re looking for which professor to take for IH, I recommend Norman Roessler. Â
Another amazing tool that Temple offers is advising meetings. You can access this under the “student tools” tab in your TUPortal . From there, you’ll click on “schedule”, and it’ll take you to Navigate360, where you can schedule an appointment. The appointment times fill up pretty quickly, so I recommend you schedule it a week or two in advance to make sure you can get an appointment. I’ve been meeting with the same advisor for all four years of college, and she’s been really helpful. When I studied abroad in Rome, she helped me find unique classes that they only offered at Temple Rome. Having an advisor is a great connection to have through your undergrad years. If you’re in “Fly in 4” like me, it’s mandatory. However, even if you aren’t, I recommend scheduling a meeting with an advisor. Whether you need help with registration or want to make sure you’re on track for graduation, it’s an amazing tool. Â
I also recommend connecting with people from your classes and asking what courses they’re taking. You might find out about some courses you didn’t know about. It’s also good to check out events from your college and check your email for updates on courses that are listed. I’m in the College of Liberal Arts, and I get emails on updates relating to my major, so keep an eye out to see if you get the same for your major. College is a time to explore and broaden your horizons, so if there’s any interest outside of your major, there’s plenty of courses for you to take. Â
Registration can be one of the most stressful times as a college student. You have four years to choose from a list of what feels like a million courses, so take advantage of the resources offered by Temple. This way, you can get the courses you want in a way that works with your life schedule—whether that be work or other activities. As a senior with one semester left, I hope these help to ease the stress of registering for classes over your four years of undergrad.