Ah, scheduling classes for next semester. Every EMU student’s favorite time of year. NOT! Maybe I’m biased because, as a student who waited three semesters to declare a major, I’ve always had to build my schedule from the ground up. But from murmurings among my fellow students, I’ve found that more than a few despise this process as much as I do. 

“What’s so bad about scheduling?” a fresh-faced first-year might ask. Back when I was that age, I had the same quandary. But the more time one spends at EMU, the more one starts to realize just how difficult it is to plan out one’s semesters, especially as classes of interest wane. 

My heart, of course, goes out to those in the more rigorous programs, such as nursing or engineering. And the double majors among us, I pray that none of your required classes overlap this fall. But as for myself, a student of one of the smallest majors available, finding interesting electives to round out my schedule can be a tedious process. Obviously this is much harder on me than trying to balance two different majors’ requirements or a full course load of STEM classes (just kidding!). 

Another grievance I have with the course scheduling process is that the schedules come out way too late. Nobody needs the added stress of trying to plan out NEXT semester, when THIS semester’s work is really starting to ramp up with papers, exams, and lots of final projects. 

Planning out your next semester can often feel like a final project itself. A lot of research is necessary, what with the course offering list, advising worksheet, four-year plans, curriculum outlines, and the elusive course catalog (or maybe it’s just me who has trouble finding this one). I currently have a window on my laptop solely dedicated to building my schedule, with EIGHT tabs open! Not to mention the curriculum outlines for my major and minors, which I have to excavate from the files on my computer each semester. 

My final and gravest complaint is that the EMU Core is a tumultuous and ever-changing set of transient requirements. To all my juniors out there: remember when we had to take Living Well, just for the class to be cut from the Core and completely erased from existence? Me too. It stings. Now, as our class heads into our last few semesters, we are dealing with confusion surrounding a completely unexplained rebranding of the Core to “Path.” Sophomores and first-years will also experience this change, but for us third-years, this is the third Core switch-up EMU has enacted in our time here. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that averages out to once a year. 

I wish each and every one of you the best of luck as you construct your schedule, consult your advisor, and sign up for your classes. Herm knows we need it.