Organization, Week by Week: Week 6

I'm only in my first semester of freshman year, but I can honestly say that the most agitating part of being in college is planning my classes and my schedule. 

Really, it's just terrible. There are so many general education classes to keep up with, along with major requirements, and I have to meet a certain amount of hours by a certain point, and certain classes are only offered once a year, classes you really need are all scheduled in the same hour — seriously, the problems you face during class scheduling time are endless. And annoying. And awful. 

I'm registering for classes today at 12:30 PM (someone tell me how everyone I know got a time around mine, and my roommate got an 8:45 AM time. Has she paid someone off!? I've got my eye on you, Pankti.) and I thought, for this week's Organization, Week by Week, I would show off some of my class planning methods!

I apologize for the quality, but this is the small poster I have tacked over my desk to help me keep track of what I need to do and where I need to go from where I am. As you can see... I have some work to do!

But this lists my General Education courses and my major requirements. If I take all of these classes and reach 120 hours, I'm set to graduate as a Journalism and Mass Communications major from the School of Journalism at UNC! Score!

Then, I have a virtual version of the same sort of thing.

This lists all of my general education requirements and the classes that satisfy them each semester. This includes classes I'm in this semester, so I look a little bit better. A little. 

(The yellow bars mean my general education requirement has been satisfied.)

And this is how I plan my classes!

I move them around in blocks when I'm deciding on my schedule, so I know where I have room for a class and where I don't. I prefer to get my classes out of the way early so I have the afternoon for homework and working at the DTH. I understand not everyone is like that — but I'd rather wake up early and take a nap than sleep in and waste half the day. 

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How to Organize for Classes:

1. Make a list of your general education classes or prerequisites. 

Cross them off when you accomplish them. Have them somewhere where you can see your progress. I have a chart over my desk, and I made one for Katie and Julia and they've got it on their fridge. Look at it often. Check your progress often. 

2. Have a general idea of when you're going to take a class. 

Know if it's only offered once a year or only at a certain time. Know when you want to take that really long lab or that early lecture. 

3. If you sign up for a class and don't get it, email the professor or sit in on the first day of class. 

This is crucial. Seriously. Crucial. If you need it, do anything you can to get the class. If you don't need it... well, back off. 

4. Don't overburden yourself. 

This shouldn't need to be explained. If you know you can't take 18 credit hours in a semester... don't do it.