One of the scariest things to think about in the weeks after school starts back up is the prospect of building an entirely new schedule based around classes that you may or may not have drunkenly added to your program sometime around November. Unfortunately, even scarier things can happen AFTER you’ve registered for a class. It shows up in your CourseWorks, you think the story’s over, but the real horror still awaits, as seen in these students’ quotes:
“Getting trampled in the Intro Art History II mosh pit to sign up for discussion sections on fifth floor Diana (one girl literally dropped her backpack in the mob and had to wait until people cleared out in order to retrieve it I felt so bad)”
“Finding out that you’re already five days behind on readings, even though five days of class haven’t even happened yet?”
“Signing up for a recitation based on timing and not knowing who the TA is because Courseworks doesn’t show that until a few weeks in, then showing up to the first recitation and realizing it’s a guy you slept with during your freshman year NSOP and you can’t switch out because all the other sextions are full (typo intended)”
“Being told that you can’t get off the waitlist for a Spanish class even though multiple people who are actually enrolled in the class can’t. even. speak. the language. (their excuse is that they’re seniors who need it for CORE lmao)”
“Having your first year seminar literally get cancelled the day classes begin, with no explanation, then being put into a random First Year Seminar you never chose”
“My professor for one of my required major classes SUCKS, but I can’t switch into the other section of the class because it conflicts with ANOTHER bad class’s lab section which the TA just decided to put at the worst possible time, thanks”
“Being on the waitlist for an intro class that has no slotted spots for first years…talking to your upperclassmen friends in the class who say they don’t want to be taking it but have to because they couldn’t take it as first/second years”
“Seeing on the CU directory that there is room in a class while being told by myBarnard/ Courseworks there is no room in said class”
“Getting sick during shopping week, not attending classes you are supposed to, being assigned a paper due second week of class. Dropping that course and trying to get your credits back up to an acceptable number, taking 5 classes in a row to figure out what”
“Not understanding Barnard’s lab requirement… going to Astronomy lab, forgetting all your high school algebra, wishing you’d made it into Psych lab… desperately texting / emailing / talking to everyone you know who might have more knowledge about whether you can take lab as sophomore and still get credit”
“Having the perfect schedule planned, only to receive an email from your advisor sent to everyone in your major saying, “You are required to sign up for ________ class. ” finding NO description for this class in the Course Directory, no mention of the class on the website for your major, and still no info when you’re added to the Courseworks site. Attending the first class (still knowing nothing), finding out it’s a new course that the department is testing, and subsequently banging your head against the wall. Also it’s in Hamilton so sucks to suck.”
“Paying for class materials from the teacher/department, dropping the class a few days later, not getting a refund”
“Dropping a class then enrolling in every non L course 9 ways class you can find to make up for the lost credits, then shopping most of those classes and getting kicked out regardless of their whole “no limit” thing”
Bonus Quote: “Getting an email from the Comp Pol prof saying ‘Yes, Turkey is a fascinating case, but that doesn’t change the fact that my class is still full'”
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1 Comment
@Anonymous I came back from medical leave. Most leaves require you to be absent from campus for the duration. My readmission interview was in Lerner. I ignored the requirement.
I could not be given housing until I was registered as a full time student. I could not be registered until I was deemed to have an outstanding balance of less than one thousand dollars with the university. I was readmitted. My account was charged the full amount for the upcoming semester.
I was on financial aid. I registered as planning to live on campus. Student services separately itemize tuition, room and board, books, and travel. My financial aid offer required me to give an on-campus housing location in order for the credit to be applied to my account. My balance was more than one thousand dollars.
I sleep in the M row of the religious section, “Marxism and Liberation Theology” to “Monophysitism in the 6th Century.” I emerge at night to feed on leftovers in 209. I have not seen the sun in five years. Only the precious understands me.