Blue Squares and Green Spheres

Hi friends.

There comes that time in a freshman’s life where for a few days, everything is absolute stress. What is that time you ask? Second semester registration.

Realistically, Loyola does a very good job at helping you prepare for registration. In the mandatory UNIV 101 that all freshman are required to take (I like to call it the ‘welcome to college’ class), we are instructed to make a four year plan, basically outlining the classes that we are supposed to take over the next four years–this process sounds scary for those of us whom are undecided or unsure, but it really is not. The four year plan is more of a guideline anyways.

Every student is assigned a specific time for registration, although some do get priority. The order from first to last is seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshman. Honors students, ROTC, and athletes do get priority due to their extracurriculars that require certain times to be free. (Additionally, if you have any credits that transfer over from your high school AP or IB tests/programs, you may get to register a day or at least a few hours early.)

If you were like me, a measly freshman who had no transferable credits, then you got whatever registration time you were subjected to. Mine was 12:30 on a Friday, and while that is not the latest time, it’s definitely not the best. I ran into a few problems and because of that, I will offer you guys some advice.

1. Don’t panic.

2. Make backup schedules.
—–> Your dream schedule may not work out. The classes may close, or you may find that they conflict with a time you needed open. Make at least two or three back up schedules.

3. Remember that your 4 year plan is just an outline, you don’t have to stick to it.

4. If you really need a class for a major or minor and it is closed, something can possibly be done.
—–> If you need a class for your major or minor in the upcoming semester and it is a NON NEGOTIABLE situation, you can email the department head and explain your problem. You may not get the exact teacher you want, but the department head will do their hardest to get you into the class you need if you politely explain your situation.

5. Never judge a book (or a professor) by its cover.
—–> As a student, I feel as though I should say something about this. There are lots of things online about which professor to take and which professor you shouldn’t. Don’t listen to them. Talk to your peers, those that have taken the class recently, find out how many papers or tests there are, and if you can afford to pick and choose your professors, do so off of what your peers are telling you, not what some random person on the internet that probably never paid attention in class and earned their D- says.

6. Talk to your academic advisor if you’re not sure what to sign up for or take.

7. TAKE CORE CLASSES!
—–> Especially those that have a Tier II requirement!

8. Once again, don’t panic.

Registration is open from the middle of November to the start of January. If there is a class that you really want, then stalk Locus and see if something opens up! But don’t panic, you will get all of the classes that you need.
May the odds be in your favor and may you have no blue squares.