Spring enrollment is right around the corner, and it has even begun for some students. Deciding which classes to take for the five months of your life can leave you with a ton of questions: “Which professor should I take this class with?,” “How many units should I take?,” “Can I wake up for that 8 a.m. lecture in time?” Hopefully, these tips can help ease those worries and aid you in preparing for your enrollment slot. 

Create a sample schedule

This goes without saying but creating a sample schedule for your classes is a must, especially if you’re a visual thinker. You can also add your other activities and commitments, like work hours or club meetings, to see which times are most convenient for you. 

Prepare backups

Realistically speaking, a lot of other students are probably eyeing the same classes you’re going for. To minimize stress on your enrollment slot, make sure you have one to two backup classes for each class you’re planning to take. Making a schedule for those backup scenarios is also extremely helpful. 

Notice your habits

As much as we’d like to suddenly change our habits and wake up earlier to make it to that 8 a.m. lecture, change doesn’t happen overnight. When planning your spring schedule, make sure to take note of things like your circadian rhythm and daily habits so you can take classes at the times you feel most alert. 

Use ratemyprofessors.com

Deciding between two professors who teach the same subject? Look them up on ratemyprofessors.com and browse through students’ comments that detail their experience with each professor. The website also allows you to see the average rating for each professor and the average level of difficulty of their classes. 

Keep location in mind

Since we’re transitioning to a fully in-person format, make sure to factor in the locations of your classes, especially if they’re back-to-back. No one wants to sprint from one lecture hall on the east side of campus to another one on the west. 

Think long-term 

Creating an excel sheet to keep track of your breath requirements and prerequisites for your major is extremely helpful when thinking about which classes to take for this coming semester. This can also help you decide how many units you should take in order to declare your major on time. 

Whether you’re a senior or a freshman, getting ready for spring enrollment is definitely a stressful time. With these tips and a ton of motivation in hand, you can surely power through crafting your spring schedule. Good luck!