Creating a Perfect Class Schedule

Once students graduate high school, the back to school dynamic changes drastically. When summer begins to come to a close for high school students, a sweeping sadness envelopes everyone. No one wants summer to end, including students, teachers and faculty. But when you get to college, getting back to school is probably the most exciting time of the summer. Seeing all of your friends that you’ve become so incredibly close to, especially if you don’t even live in the same state is something every student looks forward to. But unlike high school, scheduling classes can dampen those feelings for college students. Getting the right classes down can be tricky for college students. Their day has no set time limits and classes are completely up to you. Here are some nifty tips on getting that perfect schedule down:

1. Plan ahead

Planning ahead is the most important thing to do when you are planning a schedule. It is a little late now if you are trying to plan for this semester’s classes. But now is a great time to get ahead on the spring semester. Schedule an appointment with your advisor before their schedules get hectic at the end of the semester. If you’re like me, you might just want to have everything laid out semesters in advance. Nothing is set in stone obviously, but you can never be too prepared.

2. Be honest with yourself

Telling yourself that getting up at 8 a.m. is good for you, even though you are a complete wreck in the mornings, is not a good plan. My first semester of college, I scheduled early classes. I am not a morning person at all, but I thought it would be better to get them over with and then have the rest of the day. In theory, it was a great idea. But, in reality, it was not. I struggled to get up almost every morning and I was so tired from staying up late during the night. Now, I schedule classes later in the day and I’m a much happier person. I might not get up until almost 10 or 11, but that’s just how I work.

3. Leave some breaks

It’s always nice to give yourself a break or two between classes. If you need to do something last minute or want to schedule lunch with a friend or a meeting, there is time allotted within your schedule. Of course, there is a balance that comes with this. Scheduling a class in the early morning and one late at night is never fun. I always find it much better to have nothing to do after my class is over. Leaving a huge amount of time between classes will encourage you to procrastinate and may even make you skip that late night class. I hope everyone’s semester is off to a great start and that you achieve the perfect class schedule for this semester and the ones beyond!