New Semesters Always Come With Long Lines

At the beginning of each semester there are crowds and lines everywhere on campus from the Bursar's office, to the bookstore, to the dining hall. In fact, there actually are more people on campus during the first few weeks of each semester -before students start dropping classes or just skipping them. During these weeks everyone is trying to get settled into their new semester schedule and all these crowds and lines can cause problems for students as they go about their daily business.

Send your student these tips for a smooth spring semester transition.

Plan for long lines – Students should give themselves an extra 30 minutes to do anything on campus during the first two weeks.

Start early – College students are notoriously nightowls, so the busiest times in most campus offices are the hours between 10:00am and 3:00pm. If your student needs to conduct business in a campus office they should try to either make an appointment in advance or go to the office as soon as it opens in the morning.

Do it online – Even students who grew up using the internet fail to realize that many of their day to day tasks such as paying bills or changing meal plans can be done online. When in doubt, they can check online or call the appropriate office to see if the errand can be handled online instead of in person.

Pack a lunch or snacks –It takes students time to adjust their on-campus dining times to fit into their new class schedule. To avoid rumbling stomachs and low energy, students should take snacks or lunches with them for the first few days of the semester in case the food court lines take longer than their class breaks allow. After about a week they should be able to gauge the busiest times in the dining hall and make schedule adjustments.

Be patient – Use the time spent waiting or in line to catch up with friends and family via text or social media, review class syllabi, or write a grocery list. Using “wait time” wisely will make the wait fly by and free up time later in the day.