Arena Scheduling.....those 2 words bring out all sorts of emotions for high schoolers. Fear, anxiety, frustration, even sometime wailing and gnashing of teeth. Arena Scheduling is how high school students put their class schedule together for the following year. It is all done online and has almost a 'hunger games' feel to it. Arena Scheduling for each grade opens at precisely 3:00 on an assigned day, and at that second, every student in that grade is online on the same site trying to get the classes they want, in the time frame they want, with the teachers they want, as the compete against their roughly 800 other classmates fighting for those same seats. It is serious business!
Over the years, we've learned a few tricks:
1- Do Arena Scheduling with a buddy, preferable a buddy who has experience with the process.
2- With your buddy by your side, have one of you logged into your student account and one of you logged into your family account, but directly accessing yours. This doubles your chances of getting the classes you want
3- Plan and strategize with your buddy before your 'time window opening'. Prioritize classes by need and decide who will go after what seats and classes first.
4-Don't freak out. It is a super intense few minutes, but you have to stay focused and keep trying when things don't fall into place like you hoped (and they WON'T go exactly how you hoped)
This year Lizzie (a graduating senior with 3 years experience) came over to be Lindsay's buddy
Lindsay (2 years of experience) went over to be Halle's buddy
Megan (2 years of experience) came over to be Emily's buddy
No one got exactly what they wanted, but they all survived and eventually got the classes they NEEDED even if it wasn't with the teacher they wanted, or during the class period they had hoped for, or with ANY of their friends. As long as you can be flexible, and realize this is how life goes sometimes (or most of the time) you can make it through Arena Schedule.
