One click of the “Register Now” button determines each student’s potential stresses and successes of next semester.

While seniors have already had the opportunity to register for fall classes, juniors at West Texas A&M University will choose their upcoming classes today, soon to be followed by sophomores, freshmen and incoming students. These choices shape students’ schedules, create the chance of new friendships with classmates, and set the agenda for next semester’s rants, study sessions and group project horror stories.

While many classes are mandatory to a major, picking courses for electives allows students flexibility. We of The Prairie encourage students to use this flexibility to their advantage and take classes about which students are passionate and through which students can grow. While it’s never too late in life to explore other options, college gives students a unique freedom to learn about their hobbies and interests before settling down to a career. Even if a class doesn’t necessarily match your major or if it may slow down your degree plan progress, the classes outside your course requirements may be the ones that lead you to find a new career opportunity or to build new social connections. Or that class may just give you the time and the reason to spend a little more time doing something you love.

Yes, convenience in class times does fall into consideration, and no student should intentionally overload his or her schedule; however, the potential value gained from a late afternoon class or a Friday morning lecture may be worth the temporary cost. In paying for our classes and time at WTAMU, it becomes our responsibility to ensure we receive the best education possible.

Choose courses with the intention of growth instead of with the intention of receiving an easy ‘A.’ In 10 years, the perfection of a student’s GPA will matter much less than the lessons and knowledge that student received, especially for those students who will end their education with a bachelor’s degree. The ideas and skills developed in college are likely to determine your potential and shape who you become – make sure those ideas and skills are the ones that count.

Take a hand in making your education the best it can be, and use your electives wisely. College isn’t just a stage of life to get through. It’s a stage of life meant for growth and development, and even if you earn an easy ‘A,’ you’re unlikely to grow much by taking an online course in underwater basket weaving (no, that class is not currently offered at WT).

These early mornings and late nights will someday be worth it. However, your decisions this week and in the semesters to come determine how “worth it” they will be.