It’s 8:28 a.m. on course registration day. You’ve got your Student System page open, fingers ready, and the WiFi barely hanging on. You’ve already rehearsed your clicks like choreography, told your roommates to zip it, and whispered a prayer to the course gods. And then—8:30 hits. You press “Register,” only to land on the waitlist. Number 16 for a class with 15 seats.
It’s frustrating. We’ve all been there. But amid the understandable stress of course registration, many of us default to blaming the system. It’s a natural reaction. But what if, instead of asking what’s wrong with Skidmore, we started asking what more could we be doing as students?
Because truthfully, Skidmore gives us far more than many of us realize—we just don’t always take advantage of it.
Planning Isn’t Optional—It’s Essential
A common theme behind registration woes is last-minute scrambling. Many of us delay looking at the schedule of classes until days before registration, not realizing that by then, some strategies are already too late. The earlier you start exploring your options, checking prerequisites, talking to your advisor, and mapping out backups, the more confident you’ll feel during that 8:30 a.m. sprint.
Your advisor is more than someone to approve your course choices—they’re a resource, a strategist, and often a gateway to hidden class opportunities. Proactive conversations can lead to overrides, substitutions, and even independent studies if you show initiative and interest.
Use tools like Degree Audit and Course Scheduler to visualize your requirements and plan for multiple semesters—not just one. If you only plan semester-to-semester, you risk bottlenecking into full courses later. Long-term planning is adulting 101, and college is the perfect place to practice it.
Yes, the Career Development Center Is For You—Now
There’s a strange myth that you only visit the Career Development Center (CDC) as a senior panicking about life after graduation. But that’s not true—and waiting that long means missing out on years of resources.
The CDC is one of the most underused and over-equipped departments on campus. They offer resume and cover letter reviews, mock interviews, internship prep, salary negotiation workshops, and even help for building your LinkedIn and Handshake profiles. You can also book one-on-one meetings with career coaches who want to help you. They’re not grading you; they’re guiding you.
Let’s be honest: many of us scroll social media for hours but won’t spend 30 minutes updating our resumes or applying for internships already posted on Handshake. It's not that opportunities aren’t there—it’s that we’re not looking for them.
We say we want real-world preparation, but when practical workshops are offered—like “Budgeting Basics” or “How to Network”—the attendance is often low. Why? Because personal development doesn’t always feel urgent until it's too late. College is your training ground. Use it.
Add/Drop Week Isn’t a Dead End
Landing on the waitlist doesn’t mean your fate is sealed. Add/drop week exists for a reason, and many professors actually expect students to show up during this window, even if they're not enrolled yet. If you care about the course, go to class. Introduce yourself. Participate. Let the professor know you’re serious about being there. Students drop out all the time—don’t count yourself out too early.
Showing initiative isn’t annoying—it’s impressive. Skidmore professors are generally approachable and flexible when students demonstrate genuine interest and engagement.
Responsibility Over Entitlement
Let’s be real. Some of us are waiting for college to feel like a customized service: perfect schedule, guaranteed seats, no stress. But that’s not how real life works, and it’s not how adulthood operates.
This isn’t meant to be harsh—it’s meant to be a wake-up call. Being a student is about more than attending classes. It’s about building the skills to navigate uncertainty, self-advocate, adapt, and make informed choices.
Skidmore’s motto is “Creative Thought Matters.” That doesn’t just apply to art or essays—it applies to how you think about your future. Are you creatively approaching your education, or passively waiting for it to happen to you?
Are you checking in with your major department faculty, asking questions about degree paths, looking ahead at potential minors, or reading course descriptions in detail? Or are you just refreshing the registration page and hoping for the best?
Get Involved—Or Get Left Behind
Another misconception: involvement is only for the hyper-social or the ultra-extroverted. In reality, involvement is for anyone who wants to get more out of their college experience than just a transcript.
There are faculty panels, club events, department info sessions, and student government meetings every week. These are where feedback is shared, changes are proposed, and students are heard. If you don’t show up to these spaces, you’re missing the chance to influence the very system you’re critiquing.
Want more real-world courses? Propose an idea to your department. Want more transparency in registration policies? Run for SGA. Want financial literacy programming? Gather interest, bring it to the CDC, and see what can be built. Skidmore isn’t some faceless corporation. It’s a community—and you’re part of it.
Final Thought: Own Your Journey
College isn’t perfect. Registration will always have its challenges. But let’s stop pretending like we’re powerless in the process. We’re not.
We have access to advising, career support, professional development, academic flexibility, and a caring faculty. But none of it matters if we don’t take the first step.
We’re paying for more than just a degree—we’re paying for the opportunity to grow, lead, and take initiative. And at Skidmore, that opportunity is right in front of us. It’s time we grab it.
So here’s your reminder: you are more capable than you think, and this campus is more open than it seems. Don’t wait for permission to take control of your journey—ask the questions, send the emails, knock on the doors, and show up for yourself. The world after college won’t hand you a roadmap, and neither will Skidmore—but that’s not a flaw. It’s a challenge. And you have everything it takes to meet it head-on. Use every tool, every office, every opportunity—and if it doesn’t exist yet, create it. Because your future is not built in one moment of registration panic. It’s built in every choice you make to rise, to reach, and to own your experience.