It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, I’m not talking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any of the other winter holidays. I’m talking about course selection! Registering for next semester’s classes is always an experience, to say the least. What follows is a brief, mostly cynical and satirical synapsis of the course selection process:
1) Your course selection date is announced: “Wait, what? I have to register for next semester’s classes already? But this semester just began!” Yes, just as you are getting settled into the routine that you have established for the current semester, word begins to spread around campus. Slowly at first, and nothing more than a faint whisper. However, that gives way to more prevalent talk, until it emerges right in front of you: Brace yourselves: course registration is coming!
2) You check what classes you still need to take: That difficult class for your major that you decided to put off last semester? Yeah, it’s still there, and still needs to be taken. You ask yourself the age-old question: “Why the heck do I need to take this class? It’s barely even related to my major!” Well, sorry kid, but way back in history, some old guy thought that it was necessary for your degree. You can fight it all you want, but you’re still going to have to take it.
3) You attempt to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor: That person that always sends you emails about your degree? The one whom you’ve hardly ever met before? Yeah, they’re now your best friend, and hold all of the answers to your scheduling questions. The problem is, your advisor is everyone else’s friend as well. You desperately try to book an appointment, but your advisor’s schedule is completely booked.
This simple circle will bring you the most frustration you have ever experienced.
4) You look at the times your classes are being offered: One of two things can happen. 1) Two or more classes that you absolutely need to take are only offered once, at the same time on the same days, or 2) your class is only offered once; at 8am. You then look over and see your friends’ perfect schedules. They’ve got all of their classes figured out, they don’t start early in the morning, and they have no classes on Friday. This is also the time where you question why you chose your particular major and consider switching.
5) Your course registration date has arrived: You finish class and race to boot up your laptop. After dealing with WiFi issues, you log in to UDSIS and get to the course registration page. You type in your classes. Hooray, there are still available seats! You click “add”, and start to celebrate. But, something happens. Your class isn’t shown as being successfully added. You instead get an image that is colloquially known at UD as the “spinning wheel of death”. It just spins. And spins. And spins. You start to panic. “What does this mean?” “Why is this happening?” Then you start to worry. “Oh God, somebody is probably taking the last seat right at this moment!” You might even shed a tear or two. But, as all hope seems lost, the most glorious graphic you have ever seen pops up: You have successfully added this course. Victory is yours!
Congratulations, you have survived your course registration ordeal! You can go back to your ordinary life and not worry anymore…until next semester.
