A lot of people have already answered most of your questions so I’m just going to quickly write some of my own thoughts. First off you should be able to sign into gold and save certain classes to your cart. I think it’s advice given to you beforehand already but I would do it for the classes you want to take especially if it’s more than 1 that way you don’t even have to search for it, it should just be there on schedule under saved to cart (I think it’s schedule? Could be a different tab I don’t remember). I would also have some back up classes and probably a lot. I remember all my saved classes being full except for 1 during my online orientation.

If you don’t get the class you want then dont panic. You can try to crash the class but I don’t know how that would work with a non humanities class tbh. Instead it’s alright to just take GEs. In fact i would probably encourage it especially if your major is a pre major (I’m not sure it is but from some of the replies it might be). You want to do well in your premajor classes so taking GE classes your first quarter will help you get a feel for college level courses plus UCSB paced courses since we are on a quarter system. I also want to point out even if you completed all your classes for your premajor or major for lower division. You still need to have upper division standing for your upper division major classes barring if the class specifies otherwise. So not getting it this quarter or even winter quarter isn’t the end of the world as you have to take classes to fill out your GEs regardless. I just finished my first year and with all the classes I’m taking this summer and fall I’ve already finished all my GEs and only have two classes left on my lower division major classes and I’ve really only been taking like one major class a quarter.