As the third quarter draws to a close and the second semester starts winding down, it’s time for students to begin thinking about what lies ahead. Nope, not summer. Next year.

Tuesday, in advisory, grades 8-11 were greeted with color-coded registration sheets and told to “pick wisely!” Basically, that colored piece of paper you hold in your hands right now is the key to your future.

That being said, I, a veteran registrant, have a few tips for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the amount of choices presented.

First of all, rising ninth graders, take Life Management Skills (LMS) and Physical Education (PE) over the summer. Not only will it free up your schedule and allow for more classes (or free periods), it will also ensure you never have to get sweaty and gross during the school day.

Secondly, get your fine art credits out of  the way. Trust me, what seems like a good idea at first (putting off that year and a half of credits until junior and senior year) quickly becomes your worst nightmare when trying to fit them all in plus ICS plus APs. Take it from me, a currently panicked and fine-arts-lacking junior. So, take Art Foundation, take Photography I, take Band, even if you have no current underlying desire, it’s going to work to your advantage in the long run.

Thirdly (and most importantly), turn in your sheet on time. Starting this year, you will be penalized for any registration forms turned in late. And I’m not talking suspension, I’m talking bye-bye number one elective choice.

So, get your choices in, underclassmen, and start planning for the future– now! You’ll be glad you did.