Editorial
Registration prep key to success
November 4, 2011
Advising week and registration is once again upon us, which is arguably the most important (and busiest) time of the semester.
As the last of the midterms are wrapping up, staying focused can sometimes seem dismal. However, planning ahead is essential to ensuring that you pave as smooth of a path as possible to accomplishing your academic goals in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Getting to know your advisor will significantly benefit your academic experience. Students with a chosen major are assigned a faculty advisor by the department chair in that major.
The relationship between advisor and advisee is one of shared responsibility, and as students entering a new point in life, you need to make many decisions. Your advisor is here to assist you in making choices concerning your academic career; don’t be afraid to ask for help. If needed, changes of advisor assignments can be made upon the request of the student or the advisor.
Nonetheless, you cannot rely entirely on your advisor to make all of the decisions for you. Time should be taken to become familiarized with your degree program in order to ensure that you are aware of all of the necessary requirements. It is also your responsibility to schedule your advising appointment, to prepare questions for your advisor, to prepare a tentative schedule for the upcoming semester, and to observe deadlines.
As a student pursuing a degree, you should challenge yourself in all that you do. When you invent the future, you need to get a mental picture of what things will be like throughout the journey. Be proactive in planning your future; there is no reason that you should wait until the last minute to think about the next steps. Course offerings are now available online, as well as potential academic plans for all majors. Challenge yourself in the classes that you take and remember that it is never too late to get involved outside of the classroom!
No matter how grand the dream of an individual visionary, if others can’t see the tangibility, they won’t follow. Some students take on too heavy of a course load and crack under the pressure. You need to make sure that you can handle all you can take on, considering not only courses but also extracurricular activities, any jobs that you might have, and anything else that consumes significant amounts of your time.
The future is in your hands, and the keys to success start with proactively planning ahead.