Blog#3 Why Can’t We Get the Classes We Need

 

Why Can’t We Get the Classes We Need( Blog#3)

A lot of people think college is just about showing up and doing the work but there’s a whole other side to it that feels more like a struggle to survive. I’ve written before about the stress of empty pockets and feeling like a zombie from lack of sleep but lately there’s a new problem hitting me and practically everyone else on campus. It’s the absolute nightmare of trying to register for classes.

My Experience

This isn't just a minor annoyance it’s a huge obstacle that’s slowing down my future. The way the school handles registration is basically a first-come first-served system based on what day you’re assigned. Since I was given one of the very last days to pick I was basically screwed before I even started. By the time my window opened almost every single class I actually needed for my Mechanical Engineering major was already grayed out and full.

It’s pretty demoralizing when you have a plan and you've worked hard to stay on track but the school’s system doesn't have the space to let you actually move forward. Because I was at the back of the line I wasn't able to get my core requirements. Me and my friends actually spent a lot of time planning everything out together but we all got hit by the same wall. I had to skip certain classes entirely this semester because there was literally no room left for me.

I actually got lucky enough that my classes are at similar times but my friends are dealing with a total mess. Their schedules are a shambles, with crazy gaps like having one class in the morning and then waiting around for hours for the next. When you have a schedule with messed up times like that it makes it impossible to balance a job or have any kind of life. It feels like my academic success is being decided by a random date on a calendar and if you get a late one you’re just out of luck.

The Chain Reaction of it 

Like I’ve said about other issues these problems are all linked together. If I can't get a class I need I have to wait another semester. That means I stay in school longer which means I have to pay for more semesters I can't afford. According to the Lumina Foundation, these kinds of structural barriers are a huge reason why students struggle to finish their degrees.

The underlying causes are pretty clear there’s a major lack of teaching staff and room constraints where the school just doesn't have enough space for the amount of people attending. It’s basically a too many fish not enough pond situation that leaves us fighting for seats like it's a game.

The Problem

This isn't just happening at SDSU, it’s a national conversation. Reports from the AAUP show that schools are struggling to hire enough new faculty to keep up with enrollment. Even though suspicious links are removed, you see students everywhere venting about how a bad registration date can mess up your mental health and your bank account.

I’m here studying mechanical engineering because I want to fix problems and eventually get that bread but it’s hard to fix anything when you can’t even get into the room to learn. We need better solutions from our schools so that we aren't just going through the motions of a schedule that doesn't work for us.