It first hit me while I was seated at orientation and was handed a detailed packet (including pictures) of how registration works at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It seems melodramatic to some, but after going through two registrations, I am ready to be finished with ConnectCarolina for good. The stress of registration comes in waves, so here's a look at the typical registration of UNC-Chapel Hill students.
1. You receive the fateful email indicating your exact enrollment date and time.
2. Carolina then proceeds to bombard your inbox with modules you must complete in order to register.
3. You frantically call your parents or advisor to release the hold on your account.
4. You start to slyly add classes to your shopping cart thinking it gives you an advantage.
5. You become aware of the excruciating number of gen eds you have yet to take.
6. GroupMes are filled with questions about the easiest classes to take.
7. Your friends one-up each other on their enrollment times.
8. You begin to question your life plan.
9. The anxiety sets in three days before registration.
10. You helplessly watch the green circles turn to blue squares.
11. You have created the perfect schedule (just in time to be disappointed).
12. The hours spent on Coursicle and Class Checker increase exponentially.
13. Students stop taking notes in class in order to surf ConnectCarolina.
14. You wake up with the mindset, "Today is the day!"
15. You proceed to add copious amounts of random classes to the shopping cart.
16. You scroll up and down the "Plan" page, admiring the incredibly large number of classes in your shopping cart.
17. You heart drops as your perfect schedule is perfectly ruined.
18. Your pulse quickens as you must make a decision between a good time and a good teacher.
19. Your finger hovers above the enrollment as your eyes stare at the clock like prey, and...
20. ...you get two classes.
21. You scramble back to the shopping cart, clicking on courses to add like it's your job.
22. Finally, you look at your full schedule (featuring none of your desired classes).
23. You quit out of ConnectCarolina knowing full well your entire schedule will change come the beginning of the semester.
24. You wonder how you survived last registration and begin to dread the next.
25. You never seem to forget that you're a Tar Heel, and there's no place you'd rather be.